The Clique
by iloveapplejuice
Summary: Tomoyo Daidouji, queen of the exclusive school Seijuu High. Enter, Sakura Kinomoto, newbie from Okinawa cousin of the reigning queen. Cousins in a power struggle. Popularity never looked this good.
1. Chapter 1

Tomoyo stood in front of her mother with all the intensity she could muster at making her feel that she was mad. Really mad. She didn't want to act like a brat but she didn't feel acting all goody-goody at all, what with the impending matter to be handled carefully. And if things go her way, then there would be no catastrophe that should be faced upon by the Seijuu High students this new semester, especially the newbie.

"You can't do this to me." Tomoyo grinded out through her teeth as she didn't want to let her voice raise and give her mother the satisfaction of knowing that the situation was frazzling her nerves.

"I'm your mother. It's my job…"

"Your job is to see to it that I am happy and content. And what you are doing right now is not making me happy and content. You are ruining my social life!" Tomoyo stomped her foot for emphasis, making her mom shake her head.

"Don't make this any difficult. They are our relatives. And lower your voice, they might hear you." With that said, Sonomi Daidouji waved her left hand for Kagura, their lived-in housekeeper to bring the desert in the dining room.

Tomoyo paced around the kitchen when her mother went out back to where everybody was. She couldn't concentrate well because of the loud beating of her heart. She couldn't believe that she was going to be starting the term with a lost puppy from loserville following her around. 

Tomoyo opened her phone and made a four-way call with her best friends.

"This is a total 911." She whispered and sat on the countertop. 

"Why? What happened?" Tomoyo heard Chiharu Mihara said through a mouthful of chips, probably. Typical Chiharu, eating through a disaster.

"What do Alpha's do when someone steps over the boundary set by the social hierarchy ever since the start of time?"

"Huh?" Rika Sasaki voice out as she rummaged through her dresses inside her walk in closet, totally not following through the conversation. "You make sure that they transfer schools?"

Naoko Yanagisawa chuckled while leafing through her newly bought encyclopedia and then shook her head at her friend's clueless-ness. Really, Naoko thought, after being friend's with the likes of the vicious Tomoyo Daidouji for so many years, she would have thought that Rika would have drawn a map to their leader's intestines. 

"You're wearing out my patience here Rika." Tomoyo said in a sweet voice that showed her impending tantrum if things are not handled well. 

"We destroy her." Naoko said immediately, bringing the book down, for she found the topic to be interesting.

Chiharu gave her signature nasal laugh and the chomping noise stopped. Rika squealed and the inevitable sound of her body falling into her bed indicated her full attention instead of her usual browsing of her closet for unworthy dresses.

Tomoyo smiled at this knowing that she finally got their full attention. It's been months since the last girl was brought down to her rightful place when she commented that Chiharu was gaining weight over eating sweet bananas.

No one lives to see the newly polished floors of Seijuu high in the next day after calling her best friend fat.

Tomoyo looked around her to see Kagura entering the kitchen again and then hopped off the counter, heading straight for her room. She listened at the enthusiastic suggestions of her bffs on how to demolish her cousin's social life once the new term starts in a few days.

After the phone conversation, Tomoyo stood in front of her floor to ceiling, four door-windows on an elevated platform, seeing the guesthouse at their huge lawn.

She frowned while looking at it. It was a _small_ version of the mansion and served as a storage house of the paintings and other stuff that her mother thought were second rate.

She used to go there when she was in grade school and play, pretending that she was Cinderella living in the guesthouse, and the mansion was the palace where her prince charming lives.

But now, as she took one last glance before going to bed, she thought that the guesthouse was more like an annoying, icky rat hole, with rodents vacating the place.


	2. Chapter 2

**SEIJUU HIGH**

**FIRST FLOOR HALLWAY**

**September 6**

"No this is _High school_."

With that said, Tomoyo left Sakura Kinomoto on the hallway dripping with water. She was wet all over and shivering. However, right now, she wasn't shivering because she was wet and the hallway was blasting from coldness coming from the aircon. No, definitely not. She was shivering because of anger, frustration and well mostly, anger.

Earlier, when she was at the Range Rover, she tried to make friends with Tomoyo and her clique but they just turned up their noses at her and started whispering at each other like she wasn't even there. She felt like a total loser sitting at the back seat with no view at the television, no access to the fridge, and no friends.

Exiting the car made her realize that the whole of Seijuu were hypnotized by the glamour and charm of the group. Walking behind them enabled her to see how the world of the students seems to be revolving around the four. It was like a movie and she was an extra.

It was lunch time when she decided to confront Tomoyo about their relationship. They were cousins after all and maybe, well, perhaps, Tomoyo would be kind enough to take her under her wing since every time Sakura tried to make friends, she'd just butt in. It's as if she didn't want Sakura to fit in anywhere.

The bell rang when she found her inside the richly decorated café. Students passed by her and didn't even apologize when they bumped into her. They just continued on walking as if she wasn't even there. Invisible is what she felt. How pathetic, really.

Tomoyo stared at her like she's not supposed to be there but she mustered up the courage to come to her. It was now or never.

"We'd better go Tomoyo." Chiharu whispered and the other's followed. Soon after that, the two of them were the only one's left in the café.

"Uhmm…" What would she say? How to say it exactly? That she thought that Tomoyo was acting like a real bitch and that she already wanted to lock herself up in the girl's room and cry her eyes out. That she didn't know what to do and since their related, wouldn't she feel some pity and help her make friends since everybody likes her in this school? Or better yet take her in, in her group so she could feel secure what with her and her friends' popularity surrounding her, so that no one on this school would treat her like some skunk.

"Go on. I'm not really worried that I have Algebra this period and I have a terror teacher for my professor. It's no biggie." Tomoyo smirked at her and folded her arms. She'd show who's the boss.

"Oh! Well, you see… I'm not really sure why you're acting so mean…"

"Mean?" Tomoyo chuckled at this. "Me?" She started walking towards Sakura and stopped right beside her, their shoulders almost touching, staring at the double doors leading out in the hallway. "You don't know the meaning of that word if it includes Tomoyo Daidouji in one sentence." She walked out on her.

Sakura stood frozen. So, she hates me. She thought bitterly. She stared at the glass windows in front of her that showed a view of the school's garden. It was beautiful but she didn't have the energy to enjoy the scenery. No, not yet. She has to make things alright first before relaxing.

She stormed out of the café and followed Tomoyo in the hallway.

"I really don't understand why you're acting this way! I just came here!" She clenched her fists and held back a sob. She didn't want to cry right in front of her bully. "It's not like I wanted to be here in the first place! For your information, I had a life back in Okinawa!"

Tomoyo turned around with a cruel smile on her face. They were ten feet apart but it felt like a whole universe was separating them. Sakura noticed six girls surrounding Tomoyo and one of them was Chiharu Mihara, the others, she doesn't know of, maybe her minions, Sakura thought. I wouldn't doubt it. They all seem to worship her like a queen.

Slowly, they advanced on her, their hands behind their backs. When they got near her, they started throwing water balloons at her. It stung Sakura but she didn't move nor flinched, just stared at Tomoyo's eyes. They laughed at her and pushed her down the floor making her kneel.

"That's right Sakura…" Chiharu jeered. "Kneel before Tomoeda's royalty. That's exactly your place in this school. _Below us_."

The six girls turned around and started walking away but Tomoyo and Sakura just stayed where they were, staring at each other. They didn't back down at the unspoken challenge.

"No wonder you're acting like a devil… this place is hell." Sakura gritted out, her teeth chattering. She couldn't help it. It always happens when an extreme emotion surges inside her. And right now, it wasn't a pleasant one.

Tomoyo gave her a smirk and started walking to her class. But before she passed right by her, she said something that made Sakura think how right those words were. They were simple yet it explained everything.

"No this is _High school_."


	3. Chapter 3

**SEIJUU HIGH**

**GIRLS LOCKER ROOM**

Sakura toweled her hair inside the locker room and tried her best not to cry. She wasn't a sissy. She's strong and she knows that she could pull through this.

Taking out the extra uniform she brought with her she dressed herself up. The uniform was really unique… well, in a way. It composed of the usual vest, jacket, blouse and skirt plus tie. Only it was all black. She remembered reading from the brochure that it prided itself from being a century old high class private school for boys and girls.

She sighed.

It was time to be ready for battle for it was lunch time again this day. She'll have to face those hungry wolves.

It's almost been three weeks since she arrived and not one friend she made. They're all afraid of the queen, she thought.

She decided that she wasn't ready to face Tomoyo and her crew yet so she went outside the courtyard and sat in the farthest bench as possible. It faced a high wall with wisteria covering it in a massive amount. It was a nice view but she didn't have anyone to share it with. The silence was deafening but she treasured it for a while thinking that it was better than hearing her school mates jeering and laughing at her.

It wasn't all that bad. They were just mean when Tomoyo was around.

Suddenly someone sat at the other end of the bench, one seating space separating them.

She narrowed her eyes at him and readied herself if he ever pulled a prank on her.

"I'm not here to bully you if that's what you're thinking. I'm just here to eat lunch peacefully without anyone throwing herself at me." He grumbled while opening his lunch box. He started eating without as so much taking a glance at her that rendered Sakura speechless. Well, this is a development, she said in her mind. But still, you can never be too sure. This was, after all, Syaoran Li, the prince of Seijuu High. He's the captain of the Soccer Boys Varsity Team and Student Council President. So it's not really a shock to accept that he's part of the in crowd. Everybody wants to be his friend. "I'm not like them at all if you're thinking that I'm going to do something bad to you. I don't go around campus making people's life hell. I'm actually one of the good guys."

I clenched my fists. What a hypocrite.

I stood up and lowered my face, my bangs shadowing my eyes. "Of course you're one of them." I hissed out in a strangled voice. I felt him tense up at my accusation. "Yes, you don't go around harassing people just for the fact that you don't like them." I gave a mirthful laugh. "But you don't do anything to help them either. You're not a good guy at all. You're just someone who enjoys watching a helpless student get beaten up from a distance. And for that, you're a nobody to me." I turned my head to glare at him and a strong wind blew my hair out of my face and our eyes locked. I saw the surprise on his face. Ha, that shut you up.

I walked briskly but I didn't know where I was headed to. All I know is that I needed to get away as soon as possible before he could reach me and lashed out his anger on me. He'd probably teach little, insignificant me a lesson for disrespecting him.

Finally I reached the library where nobody really bothers to go into. I entered the building and went to the third floor, history section. Yeah, that's right. The school's so big it has an entire five-storey building for a library.

Rich bastards.

I'm not going to lie to you and tell you how much I want them to be burnt in a great fire. No. I do want that, badly. But, if there was a slight chance that I could be one of them…

I pulled out my long auburn hair with both hands as I slid down the bookcase, into the floor. Don't think like that! You're better than them! You have a heart and they don't! That's what makes you human.

She just wanted it to stop.

One single friend would be fine.

"Hey, you're Kinomoto Sakura right?"

Sakura couldn't help but smile; her teeth chattering as warmth envelop her. So, there wasn't just hell. There was nirvana too.

"Yes." She answered weakly. "I remember you. You're the one who helped me out in the café the other day."

The girl with ruby eyes and black hair laughed and sat right next to Sakura. She took out some gummy worms from her pocket and offered some to her.

"You eating any sugar? Girls in this school are all weirdoes. They don't eat anything at all besides air and water that is." They both laughed at this. Sakura took a good amount from the small bag and chewed on them heartily. "Back in Hong Kong, girls are different. Well, in my school for that matter. We treat each other with respect. Hmmm…" She put her finger to her chin and smiled as a thought occurred to her. "Well, mostly they treat me with respect because of my family background. But other than that, life's peachy."

They talked about their favorite things and Sakura was back to her usual chirpy self. Like the girl from Okinawa. Meiling Li is a nice girl and she's going to make sure that they're going to be really good friends. Damn her cousin and her cronies.

Meiling is one of the untouchables in our school. Meaning, she's not really in the in crowd but she's not an outcast either. If one would describe her social standing on Seijuu, it would be neutral. No one's allowed to mess with her if that's what you want to know.

"Hey, I saw you talking to my cousin earlier. Why did you run away from him? Did he scare you? Pftt…I wouldn't be surprised!" She laughed gaily at this and slapped her thigh twice. "That guy is the biggest freak of all." She had a smirk on her face that somehow scared me but I didn't let it bother me. Meiling is not one of them. I shouldn't be wary of her. But who is this cousin of hers that I _talked_ to? "It's quite surprising actually that he's not a total misfit. I mean, the guy doesn't have a girlfriend, he seldom talks and when he does, it's a one word thing. But then, when he really talks, he just speaks his mind regardless of the other person's feelings. He's a stupid rock to me. Ah well, that's my cousin! Sooo…." She gave me beautiful eyes and I couldn't help but dread the question she's about to ask. Who's her cousin? "Are you one of he's fan girls?"

I went dotted eye. Meiling talked so fast that I barely registered in my head all the things she just said.

"I'm sorry, but…" Then it hit me.

Li.

Meiling Li.

The bench in the courtyard. Wisteria. Lunch box.

Syaoran Li.

Cousin.

The clues went whizzing by my eyes like a horror movie. Oh no! I just insulted the cousin of my new friend! What would she think of me if she knew that I just…

_You're a nobody to me._

"Ahehe…ano… Meiling…"

"Hmmm? You like him huh? It's no trouble at all to me. You seem like a nice girl. I think he'll like you too. You're not a blabbermouth like me. That's a good point since he explodes when I chatter away in his ears. You're not a vain girl either. He hates those bimbos. And besides…" Se turned at me and gripped my shoulders and smiled, her face inching closer to mine as if she was about to kiss me. "You've got green eyes. Emerald. The exact color he adores so much. Yep. He'll like you alright."

As we went our separate ways to go to class, I couldn't help but feel that this would be the last time that I'll part ways with her as a good friend. She'll definitely hate me now when she learns about what I just said to her cousin.

_He'll like you alright. _That would be the last thing Syaoran Li would do, Sakura thought.


	4. Chapter 4

**SEIJUU HIGH**

**THE CAFETERIA**

Tomoyo ate her salad slowly but didn't take her gaze off of Sakura Kinomoto who sat directly in front of her in _their _table. It was amazing really. It never ceases to amaze her, on how much her actions could affect the whole population of Seijuu.

There was silence, constant whispering, pointed gazes.

She set her fork down and watched as Sakura slowly took a deep breath and released it in an agitated manner. She's nervous. Well, she'd better be, thought Tomoyo.

She took out her cell phone and rummaged through it for a while, her French manicured hand clicking away mercilessly at the material. Finally, she paused and took a glance at the girl. She smiled inwardly, totally impressed how Sakura Kinomoto managed to remain solid with all the torture being thrown at her.

Last week, Sakura managed to claim an artwork that was submitted to their art class. It was Chiharu Mihara's. But then, it wasn't Chiharu that made the painting of course. That girl is hopeless with arts and crafts as much as an embarrassment it is to Tomoyo, who excels in it. The painting was of a deer facing a clearing and a beautiful lake that outstretched into the majority of the canvass. Real nice.

The professor didn't believed one word of Chiharu's complaint. Who would? I mean, Chiharu's display of un-artsy-ness since kindergarten would be evidence enough right? Besides Chiharu would only be in trouble if their teacher finds out that she paid someone to do the project for her. Now, wouldn't that be more degrading?

Tomoyo scanned Sakura's physique. She actually passes up as a good looking girl. She has a nice body. Not fat. She has nice long hair. Clear tanned skin. That's good. Bright eyes. Hmmm… she could be popular if Tomoyo lets it. Well, that's a big _if_.

Bringing her eyes back to the photo, the very reason why she sits in this blessed table with their company.

Recently, when Rika tried out for the Cheering Squad, Tomoyo saw Sakura Kinomoto do her stuff. She's good, that she'll keep to herself, sitting by next to the captain, Naoko Yanagisawa. Her best friend of course, she told her that she's been contemplating on making the girl one of them. Naoko, to her relief, nodded in agreement saying that the girl's got spunk and potential.

The results are yet to be posted and the impending truth kills Rika in suspense. She's been bugging Naoko on the results and Tomoyo is getting irritated by it. Once, she snapped at Rika to shut it when the girl told her that she's just jealous because she didn't have the guts to try out for the team and that she's going to be left out by the clique since she's the only one not in the squad. To that, Tomoyo replied by telling her that Rika might not actually _make_ it in the team. Of course, Rika realized how Tomoyo influences the squad.

And now, Tomoyo felt Rika shooting snippy looks at Sakura as rumors spread that she was the one who got in.

"You're quite photogenic _Sakura_." Tomoyo said calmly, laying her phone on the table for her to see. Rika, Chiharu and Naoko dared not to look for they already saw it the other night as they discussed about the plan.

"What?" Sakura said clueless to what was happening. She took the phone and almost dropped it when she saw what it was. How did…

The picture was of Sakura and Syaoran Li.

It was the time when she was reading a book and no one, but her and the librarian was present. Suddenly, someone sat directly in front of her. It was him.

She was so nervous, despite the fact that Meiling assured her that it was alright to lash out on her cousin. Meiling's reaction gave Sakura a let-up but still…

Thinking about what all those fan girls would do to her made her want to transfer to another school if they discovered all the things she said to their prince. It was just too scary.

Sakura just continued reading never minding the elephants rampaging inside her stomach. She tried to raise her book to cover her face and obstruct her eyes from taking stolen glances at the prince, ridding her of embarrassing scenarios if she got caught.

There were thirty minutes left before the school's curfew and the ticking of the clock made Sakura more uncomfortable. She heard him turn a page of his book, _The Polaris_, she couldn't help but be intrigue at what he was reading so she took a tiny peek a little while ago.

The orange glow coming form the setting sun cast shadows over the large room from the floor to ceiling glass windows. The librarian cleared her throat as if restraining herself from throwing the both of them out.

Sakura and Syaoran turned to look at her and then at each other.

_You've got green eyes. Emerald. The exact color he adores so much._

Sakura immediately turned away, scolding herself for thinking such thoughts.

"I'm sorry." They both muttered at the same time.

Sakura didn't dare look back at him, fearing that it was just some payback for what she did. She had her head lowered beside her left shoulder and her bangs covering her eyes once again.

Syaoran closed his book and placed his hand under the table, one hand on his lap and the other reaching for something in his pocket. He slowly brought it up but didn't bring it out in the open, his hands remaining on his lap. He was hesitant to do it.

Her words affected him a lot. It gave him something worthwhile to think about. For days, he pondered about it most of the time, even spacing out on classes.

What she said described mostly how he has been operating his life on Seijuu grounds. He was just a bystander, an onlooker, some spectator who has no comment about what's happening, good or bad. At first he reasoned out that life in high school is just the way it is. You couldn't do anything about it. But what if…

He brought his hand at the back of his neck and massaged it as he gripped the thing on his hand.

Sakura felt tired. She had had enough of all the things as of the moment. Meiling Li is the only good thing that happened to her and she's not willing to give her friend up just because her cousin is the prince of this school. She lowered her head on her arms that she propped on the table and stared at Syaoran Li.

She was getting annoyed with this guy. Really, it was quite a feeling actually. She seldom gets annoyed with people. The feeling of being irritated is not even an emotion that she feels about Tomoyo and her crew. This one is special.

Sakura thought that it was annoying because Syaoran Li just sat there, said he was sorry and didn't elaborate on it. Sure, she said sorry as well but an explanation is not needed at all for he knows what she's referring to. But him…

Meiling was right. This guy is a weirdo.

She angled her face to the right, her left side of her face leaning on her arms and closed her eyes.

Syaoran saw her closed her eyes and released a sigh. This would be easier if she's not looking at him with those eyes. Her eyes give him a feeling in his stomach, a jolt that he didn't want to feel.

Slowly he placed the medium sized bag of gummy bears in front of her and was about to leave when his eyes caught what she was reading. It was _The Secret Garden_. He smiled at this, remembering his sisters back in Hong Kong. They loved this book. He sat back down and took the book from her fingers, leafing through the pages. Still, having the small smile on his lips, he gazed at her sleeping form and decided to stay, saying to himself that it was only to annoy the menopause librarian. Besides, he wanted to see her reaction when she sees the small gift from him. What would this new girl do? He was looking forward to it. Let Meiling rot inside the car at the parking lot for another thirty minutes.

And now as Sakura stared at the picture, she couldn't help but blush.

If one would look at it without knowing the events that proceeded before that, one would think that it was a romantic scene.

Sakura was sleeping in the picture with Syaoran holding her book and looking at her with a slight smile on his face. The bag of gummy bears didn't left her eyes either. Thinking about it, she remembered that it was safely wrapped in her favorite white, lace handkerchief inside her bag. It was still unopened, though the ribbon holding the plastic was replaced by an elastic band, since the former was now tied in her hair, holding the one braid in her head, and the rest of her hair free.

She stopped herself from tugging it.

Tomoyo smirked at Sakura. This is going to be fun.

"So what did you do? Wish from the magic sand from your _Okinawa_ that he'll like you?" Tomoyo scoffed. Sure, she didn't like Syaoran Li but it just angers her to know that he paid attention to Sakura Kinomoto and not her. What would her crowd say? That the girl from Okinawa is prettier and more interesting than her? No way.

Tomoyo stood up and the rest followed, leaving Sakura seated. She leaned over across her, her hand resting over the edge of the table. She snatched the phone back and then gave her a patronizing smirk. She let her gaze fall on the plate full of fettuccini pasta and white sauce.

"Oops. My hand slipped." Tomoyo stood properly and turned around, walking a few steps with her best friends. Sorry Rika, she thought and signaled to Naoko. Naoko turned around and called out at Sakura.

Sakura didn't bother to wipe the food out of her uniform as she gazed stoically at them when the captain of the cheering squad called her.

"Don't be late at the practice this afternoon. It's on the sidelines of the soccer field. It's around four in the afternoon."

Gasps could be heard as Naoko said this and their group started walking. Chiharu turned around and called at Sakura too.

"Hey newbie!"

Sakura glared at her.

"Welcome to the in crowd." She smirked at her and left.


	5. Chapter 5

**TOMOEDA MALL**

**FOOD COURT**

It was hard for me to act nonchalant as he sat across from me, his gaze fixed on his right side, down along the arcade. The test is hard. I can't do this, Sakura thought. She was running low on hope.She looked over where Tomoyo and her clique were seven tables away from where they were seated.

The buzz inside the mall was unbearable to her right now as she sat in the food court with none other than Syaoran Li. They were on a supposed _date_, upon Tomoyo's dare and Meiling's insistence.

The awkwardness was suffocating her and the _casual_ appearances of every girl from their school were getting on her nerves.

_Of course those snobby little wenches would want to know how your date with him is going._ Tomoyo's voice rung inside her head, remembering the lecture she received before they went to the mall.

Tomoyo practically drilled her with rules and regulations when one is on a date with the most popular guy in the school. She bit her lower lip as Tomoyo sneered at her when she told her that she didn't need any pep talk.

"I'm not giving you these tips so you could lose your nerves." She flipped her hair at this and stomped her left foot. She paced around her spacious room and stopped in front of the full length mirror, inspecting Sakura through it. "I'm perforating this inside your head so you wouldn't embarrass yourself for acting like a dunderhead." She turned to face Naoko, who was shaking her head and quirked her eyebrow at the girl. "What? I'm _educating_ her? That's being nice." Tomoyo spat.

She walked in front of me with determined steps and took me by the shoulders.

"We'll be there in case you make a fool of yourself." Tomoyo smiled her signature smile but it didn't make me feel any better. "So just… be cute okay."

Be cute? Last time I checked I was anything but cute, more of like an octopus squirting unwanted black goop.

The task at hand is for me to make Syaoran Li laugh. Rika spitefully told me that since I was able to make _the_ Syaoran Li smile a _bit_ in the library while I was asleep, perhaps I'll be able to make him guffaw like a maniac if I were awake.

"You'll have no problem at all since you're such a doll." Chiharu said sweetly while crossing her legs, showing off her tan.

How do I make this guy laugh? I didn't even know that he smiled at me in the library! Or better yet, why did he even agree to this date?

Suddenly, an image of an enraged Meiling popped inside my head.

Probably because of that, she chuckled.

"Hey, you wanna go look around the mall?" I asked him. He looked startled as if he just realized that she was there.

He furrowed his brows and leaned forward at Sakura, he propped his arms on the table and beckoned her to come closer. Sakura gave him a skeptical look and mimicked his pose their heads a little closer.

"What?" Sakura asked him.

"We're not going shopping are we?"

Meiling told her tales about how Syaoran Li is the only and youngest son of his family. He has four elder sisters who always like to torment him and tease him a lot by making him do things that are out of character for a guy. Meiling also said that he once caught Syaoran hiding inside the fireplace in fear of his sisters making him their _companion_ for their shopping trips. Meaning, the carrier of all their purchases.

She grinned at him with an evil glint in her eye. His face showed terror as he thought that she was about to confirm his fears.

"Oh no… I knew it!" He leaned back on his chair and raked his hand through his hair while muttering those words. Sakura watched in fascination as his bangs fell back in a disarray that didn't do any damage to his looks. She cleared her throat and fidgeted with the hem of her white ruffled skirt.

"I was just kidding around." Sakura said softly as she lowered her head and tried to hide her blush.

They were silent for a few minutes and neither tried to break it as they were both busy with inner conflicts.

Tomoyo watched with hawk like senses as the _date_ progressed on. She wasn't happy that Sakura has a date on a Saturday and she doesn't. Thinking about it, no guy has ever asked her out ever since the start of term. She tried her best not to panic thinking that guys are just too shy to ask her out because they all think that she was _too_ good for them. Besides, it's not like Syaoran Li really likes _that_ girl. He's a senior and Sakura's only a wannabe junior that only shines through Tomoyo's shadow. He was supposed to worship her and ignore that newbie.

"Ehmagawd! Look! Look!" Rika punched her arm and looked as if she was about to hyperventilate. Tomoyo whipped her head, trying not to think about how Rika should pay if ever bruises started appearing on her arm.

She narrowed her eyes as she saw Syaoran Li leaning over Sakura Kinomoto and Sakura doing the same thing. Their faces were close and it made Tomoyo angry. He didn't even seem to be repulsed with her proximity. He doesn't like her, she kept repeating like a mantra inside her head. He doesn't like her.

"Are they going to kiss?" Naoko gasped and grinned. Tomoyo made a note in her head to confront her bff about the certain issue of her liking the newbie.

"Naw. Look, he moved away." Chiharu munched on some popcorn as if she was watching her favorite telenovela inside her room.

They huddled their heads together, forming a close group, the ultimate gossip position.

"Do we have to follow them all day? I'm getting bored." Chiharu whined as she munched on some more popcorn.

"How many popcorn can you fit in that stomach of yours?" Naoko asked and they all looked at Chiharu's side. There on the floor, were five bags of finished large popcorn bags.

"You're such a pig." Rika said with disdain but still reached out for Chiharu's popcorn bag to get some. Chiharu swatted her hand and revealed her tongue that still sported the grinded mesh of popcorn she was eating.

"Eww." The three girls laughed at her. They resumed their gossip position.

"Look, we have to make sure that Sakura Kinomoto doesn't chicken out or even lie to us by saying that she did the deed. We have to see it firsthand."

The three girls nodded at their alpha and went to spy on Sakura again.

Sakura and Syaoran walked together in a slow phase with about three feet separating them. This isn't working at all, Sakura thought.

She tried moving closer to him but stopped short when jet black hair and angry brown eyes clouded her vision.

"Kaijuu!"

"Oh no…"

Syaoran and Sakura looked at each other and then back at the guy thundering towards them.

Syaoran tried to get a better view of the guy and saw that it was the new recruit for the soccer team. He remembered him as the guy who caused a commotion on the try outs when Yukito Tsukishiro, his vice-captain, told the guy of having a _sister-complex_. He didn't know what that mean but it was a scary sight. He was also in all of his classes, and he was quite impressed when he appeared to be quite a challenge in the five advanced classes they were both in. He almost thanked the heavens when girls shifted their attention at this guy for quite a while when he came, rendering him a peaceful school day for the start of term. It didn't last that long though, as the girls professed their loyalty to him. He sighed; well it was fun while it lasted.

The tall guy stopped in front of Sakura and gripped her shoulders. Syaoran narrowed his eyes at this. Do they know each other? He heard Sakura squeak.

"Sakura…" the guy gritted out, dark aura emanating from him. Seems like his mad again. He approached the two of them, wanting to help Sakura, if the guy turns out to be a bully or something. He didn't want to be held responsible if something happened to the girl. He'll never hear the end of it from Meiling. He'll probably slit his throat in madness even before she finishes her tirade.

He took Sakura's elbow and yanked her to his side, then shielding her away from her _attacker_.

"Eh?" What just happened? Sakura was beyond surprised at Syaoran Li's actions.

"Yoh, Chinese-gaki… get away from her!"

A nerve popped in Syaoran's head. Gaki? He's calling me a brat?

"Go home you stalker." Syaoran smirked at the guy and took Sakura's hand and walked away.

"Oi!"

"Oni-chan, I'll be home before dinner!"

Uh-oh, big brother? With that, Syaoran walked faster with Sakura in tow.


	6. Chapter 6

**SEIJUU HIGH**

**AMAMIYA THEATER HALL**

Tomoyo sung her solo with the usual confidence she has in front of all the Seijuu High students and faculty members. It was teacher's day and the students were giving a special presentation for their _beloved_ mentors. Puh-lease! Spare me the sentimental crap; I'm just on this because it means that I won't have to attend the stupid Math class. Besides, she wouldn't pass up an opportunity to showcase her popularity.

When she was done, the crowd cheered and some even dared to call her attention.

"You're hot!"

She smirked at this and gave a bow, heading for the back stage. Once, there a lot of people tried to be on her good graces by saying how good she looked or that she was great out there. She just gave them smiles that only said one thing: _I know_.

She leaned on the wall and crossed her arms as her bffs surrounded her.

"Is the sleepover still on tonight?" Naoko referred to the Friday night sleepovers that Tomoyo has been hosting since fifth grade, when they became official bffs. She asked this, with her head buried in a crossword puzzle, her frame sliding down the wall and sitting on the floor.

"Yeah, we have to make a list on what to buy for tomorrow's shopping trip so we wouldn't waste our time searching the whole mall for something." Tomoyo said this with a 'duh' look on her face. She hated it when Naoko talked to her while doing something else. She was supposed to give her all the attention.

"Gosh! I am sooo... excited for tomorrow! I can't wait to buy that kawaii Ralph Lauren mini dress! I must have that!"

Tomoyo smiled at her friend, Rika Sasaki. The girl is totally obsessed with RL. That's why she didn't find it hard to bond with her because they both love shopping.

"Ugh." Chiharu grabbed Rika's waist with her hands and started inspecting her around like a maniac.

"What are you doing?" Tomoyo laughed as Rika tried to claw Chiharu with her small hands.

"Ugh! Look! Her waist! That body would definitely look good in a mini dress." Chiharu pouted as she released Rika and started poking the harassed girl's other body parts as if she was making a point that was so clear. "You're so thin! I hate you? How come you're so thin and I'm so faaaaatttt…" Chiharu blew her bangs out of her face and slumped on the floor next to Naoko.

Tomoyo lowered herself and Rika followed not wanting to be left out at all and looking lame.

"You're not fat!" Tomoyo said but couldn't help show the grin that was creeping on her face. Naoko and Rika snickered at this.

"Liar!"

Tomoyo bit her lip. She thought about her friend's eating habits. Chiharu always complained about her weight but never really sticks through a diet that her mother organizes for her. Tomoyo never really though about her friend as someone fat, she actually thinks that her friend looks really good. Well, not as good as her but passing above average on the pretty scale.

Rika nudged Naoko on the ribs and mouthed, _do something!_

"Look," Naoko dropped her book of crossword puzzle and pen and placed a hand on Chiharu's shoulder. "You're curvy, not fat. But if you want to lose weight that much then you should stick through your diet as your mom tells you to." _There happy?_ She mouthed back at Rika.

On the other side of the back stage, Meiling shook her head and locked eyes with Sakura as they both smiled at this.

"Heavy drama. I'm so moved I actually want to vomit." They laughed at this.

Sakura caught the look that Meiling has been giving her all week so she sighed in defeat.

"Go ahead. I know that you've been itching to ask me. I'm ready now."

"Yes!" Meiling punched the air. "Soo… how did the date go?"

"It was… okay." Sakura couldn't think of any better word to explain what happened last Saturday. Mainly, Syaoran got her brother, Touya so pissed that when she got home, she had an earful of what he had to say about _men_.

"That's it?" Meiling had an incredulous look on her face. "Did he ask you out again?"

Sakura didn't want to tell Meiling that Syaoran Li and she, have been meeting _secretly_ at the library for a week now. Well, it wasn't like they planned about it or something. She just happened to be there during after school when there's no squad practice and he just happened to pass by. They just also happen to sit at the same table for that week and since they were there… they decided to talk. It was nice, comforting in a way that it made Sakura's stomach flutter whenever Tuesdays and Wednesdays arrive. Of course she knew that it was hardly a secret because she was dealing with the most popular guy in school. Sometime next week, one student is bound to go to the library and discover the _meeting_.

Sakura tried to breathe properly as she caught sight of him at the other end with his vice captain, Yukito Tsukishiro. The guy with the silver hair and glasses was talking animatedly and was eating a steamed pork bun while Syaoran just stared at the floor like he was in deep thought. The stage manager, a woman with long red hair came to them and held out her hand to 'Yuki' as she heard the senior guys call him. He stared at her with a smile on his face until he finally scratched his head and placed the pork bun on the lady. I remember her being addressed to as Mizuki-sensei.

Syaoran shook his head at this and cleared his throat, trying not to laugh, as Mizuki-sensei held out her other hand, indicating that she knew that his friend has more food stashed in his uniform somewhere. He tried getting some sense to his friend before the program started by saying that he'll get another detention for bringing more food to the theatre hall like he does every year. He even got to the point to slap his hand repeatedly on the sign on the wall of the back stage saying in clear black print, _No foods and drinks allowed_. The guy just wouldn't be stopped as he just smiled at Syaoran and continued eating.

Yukito surrendered all his food with a sigh, earning him a sweat drop from the students nearby as he took them out one by one in uncanny and awkward places. Syaoran just sighed and massaged his temples while waiting for his cue to go on stage. He was to perform a string duet with his cousin Meiling. He's going to play the violin, and Meiling the cello. At first when the teacher asked him to do it, he was ready to decline and leave the faculty room when he saw _her_ name on the list with an unmarked task. Before he could answer, she arrived and the teacher beckoned at her to sit next to them.

It was quite unnerving as the faculty members present that time seems to be eavesdropping to their conversation. He knew that they were all clued in to his supposed _relationship_ with the new student. He tried not to scoff at this. Sure, he was fond of Sakura Kinomoto. She's… well, different. She's not a Barbie doll like all the other girls. She has a personality of her own that screamed _real_ to him every time they talk. Even the silence they shared sometimes wasn't unbearable. They were nice.

"Kinomoto, I read from your record that you used to sing for your school back in Okinawa." Their teacher hinted not so subtlety. Syaoran Li immediately got the point. Their teacher was a match making loser. Probably, no love life occurring on his self that's why he's meddling with other's business, thought he.

He took a quick glance at Sakura and was impressed to see her seeing the implication as well. Her lips were on a thin line and her eyes fixated on the floor.

"You'd like me to sing with the accompaniment of Meiling Li and Syaoran Li sensei. I heard it from Meiling herself." Their sensei nodded in a glad mood.

"So that's settled then." He clapped both of their shoulders and sent them back to class before marking the blank space beside her name as _singer_.

Remembering the incident, Syaoran looked at Sakura and wondered why she was bothered with the idea of singing in for the teachers of Seijuu if she often did it in her school.

"Yoh! Useless cousin of mine!" Syaoran blanched at Meiling's sudden appearance in front of him and grimaced as Yukito chuckled at his discomfort.

"What?" He asked her with concealed irritation. He hated it when Meiling talks. Her voice makes him remember the horrible screeches she made when they were kids back in Hong Kong to alert his sisters where he was hiding. Somehow, she always manages to find him wherever he hides.

"We're next!" She replied cheerfully and grabbed his arm leading him to the entrance of the stage.

He looked over the other side and saw her tugging at her hair, and that's when he caught sight of the green ribbon holding her auburn locks in a half pony. He forced his lips with the use of his free hand to frown, not wanting to be affected on how she always wore it to school and removing it whenever they were together. It was as if she was embarrassed to be caught by him, treasuring a silly thing that he gave her. But now, as they entered the stage, he couldn't resist but smile a little as he looked over her and see that she didn't take it off.

They played and she sung. She has a soothing voice that made Syaoran think of running water in the river. The one that he often visits when he gets away from his rampaging horses for a sister. Then, as he caught sight of angry lavender eyes, he now realized why Sakura Kinomoto was so reluctant to sing in front of Seijuu High and thought that this time, as a girl with long dark hair planned for the demise of his new _friend_; he wouldn't be just a spectator. He'll be something else that he wasn't even sure he could manage but will try to be the best of it.

_You're a nobody to me._ He heard her angry voice. Perhaps… he thought, as his gazed fell on her back as she sung and captivated the audience,… I'll be a somebody to you.


	7. Chapter 7

**THE DAIDOUJI ESTATE**

**DINNING ROOM**

Tomoyo sat at the grand dinner table with her parents plus the Kinomoto family. She felt like she's suddenly included in the set of The Brady Bunch. She hates it like she despises a knockoff designer item that you could buy on the streets.

She glanced at Sakura and thought how much that girl is ruining her status as the ultimate queen of Seijuu High. It has been a long tradition in her family that an Amamiya girl would rule the school. She shifted her eyes at the woman next to her mother. It was none other than, Nadeshiko Kinomoto. During her mother's time, she was the one who ruled the school and Sonomi was a plain, pathetic beta. She thought about how Nadeshiko was a famous _it_ model back then and how everybody loved her and not her mom. It's a shame really, to be associated with her mother who didn't have what it takes to be the alpha. Now, bringing her gaze back at Sakura Kinomoto, who was discreetly placing a large amount of wasabe on her brother's plate, she thought that if she could control this LBR, everything would be alright. She didn't forget the fact that Sakura is an Amamiya as well.

She's already a cheerleader, a sure pass to the in crowd. She's already _dating_ the prince of Seijuu High and after her _fantabulous_ performance, as their notorious matchmaking sensei puts it; she's already halfway into conquering the crowd. Her crowd.

"Hey Sakura…" Tomoyo smiled sweetly once she caught the attention of the girl. "My friends and I are having a sleepover tonight. Would you like to join us? I must say that this is an _exclusive_ invite so you should really think about it." Tomoyo bobbed her head up and down to show how serious she is.

Sakura felt frozen. A spot in Tomoyo's Friday night sleepovers meant she's _in_. Well not really in, but it means that she is in subject for consideration. She felt ecstatic and electrocuted. All those times that they bullied her and made her feel like crap are finally over. She could finally be one of them!

"Sure." She said and excused herself for a while. She entered one of the bathrooms of the big house of the Daidouji's which was twice the size of her own bathroom. She bit a yellow towel that she shakily took from the table by the sink and sat on the covered toilet bowl. She didn't want to bite her tongue as the chattering of her teeth got worst and she felt like she was convulsing. It's over, she thought, it's finally over.

Touya glared at his cousin who was giving him an innocent look. He couldn't believe what just happened. After all the things that what this… this _monster_ did to her sister, now she wants to be some kind of best friends with Sakura? What kind of game is she playing?

He talked to the kaijuu once when she came out of her gym class with messy hair, one shoe missing and her t-shirt plastered with paint that spelled EW. She just brushed him off saying that she could fight her own battles. He just watched her walk away like there wasn't something wrong. He was proud of her of course but watching his little sister being treated like that… it just pains him. He couldn't do anything about it because she's just going to be mad at him. Besides, he didn't want to enter the messy world of angry girls fighting over some dumb thing. So for the time being, he just stepped aside and watched as Sakura conquered her jealous fiends. He was actually surprised how she was coming out of it beautifully. The snobby school of Seijuu High and its populace is slowly beginning to appreciate that Sakura is really a genuine beauty inside out.

But, he thought and intensified his glare he was directing at his cousin, this girl would do anything to stay on top.

Tomoyo just gave her cousin a cocky smirk and stood up to prep her room for the sleepover. She didn't want to dwell on the matters of Touya Kinomoto and his suspicions about her motives. He isn't a threat of her dominating High School. He's just a mere soccer player who has yet to prove himself in the upcoming game, thought Tomoyo.

Kagura, their live in housekeeper entered her room and set up five sleeping bags as Tomoyo told her earlier and then went out the door again but came back with a trolley of assorted snacks and drinks that suited her friend's stomach cravings. She thanked Kagura and asked her to call Sakura up to her room. She needed to brief the girl about the rules of the sleepover and the things she'll get the privilege to have for being one of them.

After five minutes as Tomoyo made the finishing touches in her room, which her bffs nicknamed the iPad since everything is crisp white, the four girls entered the room together.

Chiharu immediately reached out for the trolley but Naoko held her back reminding her about the diet while Rika came to the player and inserted an R'nB CD in it. Sakura just stayed out of the way for a while before the girls took their positions in the circle of sleeping bags, not wanting to intrude anyone's territory. Tomoyo smiled at this, this girl learns fast, she thought. Finally, when they were all settled, Tomoyo explained everything.

"Sakura, we've all decided…" at this Naoko chuckled a little as they all know that Tomoyo was the only one who decided to let Sakura in the group. Her democratic rule is only a front for she likes to let her crowd think that she isn't a demanding, self-centered queen. Naoko turned to face Tomoyo and cleared her throat as she saw the impatience in her face.

"Do go on." She waved her hand and swatted Chiharu's fingers which were trying to get a chocolate bar on the bowl next to her sleeping bag. "You're on a diet _re_-member?"

"Pig." Rika said behind a cough that caused everyone to laugh when Chiharu just huffed and slouched on the floor.

"_As_ I was saying, you are now officially part of our clique." The three other girls clapped their hands and congratulated Sakura.

"Thank you." Sakura said with a big smile on her face.

"But…" Rika said with a smile on her face that made Sakura's drop like a cement block. She didn't like where this was getting into. She's in now right? So what else can they do to her? She's one of them now, so there's no need to bully her! "… first you have to tell us if Meiling Li has the invitations yet for her sweet sixteen party and if…you know, we're invited." Rika finished with a sweet smile on her face.

Sakura relaxed. So that's it. That's all they want. She could do that.

"No." Sakura felt that her body just turned into a stone, like the ones you see in a museum. The ones sculpted by the great Michelangelo and preserved like a thousand years or something. But then, she didn't fell like that important at all, like the professionals are treating those sculptures. If she shatters in to a million pieces, nobody would care. No one.

"Why?" She whined and grabbed Meiling's arm as they walked down the halls of Seijuu High. "Why? Why? Why?"

Meiling halted and gave an exasperated sigh. "Because! Those girls are the vain of my existence! I loathe them! So why would I invite them to my party?" She started walking again with Sakura refusing to let go of her arm, and the subject of her migraine as well.

"But a lot of people would want to go to your party if they go! Don't you see the logic? They're popular! If they're in your party nobody would even dare to comment on it if it stinks as long as they are there!"

Meiling stopped abruptly and slowly brought her gaze to emerald orbs. "What?" She said or rather hissed. She felt like a snake today, a snake that wanted to bite someone's head off. "You think my party would stink?"

Sakura felt shocked. "I didn't mean it that way! I'm sorry! But Tomoyo said that since you and I are friends _and_ that you're having a party _and_ that I'm invited to it, and well, since she's my cousin…" Meiling lost it when she heard the cousin-part.

"Cousin? Are you insane Sakura? She has never treated you that way ever since you came here! She's been awful to you! Can't you see it? She's just playing you like a pawn in a chess set so she could get what she wants!"

Sakura knew that Meiling was right, but an opportunity to finally be free of all the bad things that Tomoyo has up on her sleeves made her want to think that everything would turn out okay if she'll cooperate.

"But… she said…" Sakura felt torn. She wanted to be in Tomoyo's group but she doesn't want to hurt Meiling. Her teeth chattered a little and she tried to get control again. She set her fierce eyes on Meiling's ruby ones. She's always been appreciative of what Meiling has done to her. But… "Look, Meiling, this is important to me. You have no idea what it felt like to be on Tomoyo's bad side. I tried my best to fight it off but I… please this is my chance to finally be…"

"One of them?" Meiling spat, feeling like something was clawing at her heart. She studied Sakura's face and though she couldn't take the emotion her friend was displaying so she looked away. She took out five maroon scented envelopes from her D&G bag and handed it to Sakura. "The envelope with gold trimmings is for you, it means you're a VIP. You'll find a silver minted, heart-shaped necklace in it, so you should wear it to get pass the guards stationed on the VIP room. The others are for your new _friends_." She said in a monotone voice. Sakura squealed and hugged her and she smiled at this.

Sakura let go of her and was a few steps ahead when she heard Meiling's sad voice.

"You're wrong. I know how it feels." Sakura stopped in her tracks and turned around to see Meiling's face gripping her bag and her face shadowed by her long hair in the dim-lighted, empty corridor. "Back in freshman year, Tomoyo used to taunt me because I had a shrill voice. She used to call me WMB." She gave a pained laugh. "Wailing-Meiling-from-Beijing." With that she left Sakura in the corridor.


	8. Chapter 8

**SASAKI FARMS**

**DAIDOUJI PRIVATE STABLES**

Tomoyo feed her horse, Kero with a piece of baked cookies fresh from the oven courtesy of Kagura. She was in Sasaki Farm, a haven for private-owned horses. It's owned by her bff's father Rika Sasaki.

It's really a big mass of trimmed land that could be used to train and breed horses perfectly. Tomoyo loved it the first time she saw it for it reminded her of the big villa that her grandfather owned somewhere in Hokkaido during summer time.

A feeling in her stomach made her wince. It was like something in her dream, the one where she always falls down from a high place and wakes up from the momentum of the actual kick of her leg as if signaling her to wake up. She hated it. It was a feeling that tells her that she's going way too far with her schemes. She was overdoing it with her cousin.

She smiled a bit.

"I have two cousins Kero. One is a handsome yet freaky senior and the other is a very pretty junior girl like me." She brushed her horse's shiny mane and sighed. She didn't want to be weak. This inner voice telling her to become real friends with that girl irritated her. She hated change. And if that girl became her new friend, she'll end up liking her and someday, she'll move out of the estate to a far away place. So why should she get attached?

But I'm already attached, she thought. She remembered the days where she actually waited for Sakura to come walking down the driveway to the Range Rover. Her clumsiness greatly amused Tomoyo to the point that she secretly filmed the daily _tripping_ of Sakura in her video camera. She also looked forward to Sakura's great comebacks whenever Tomoyo said something to hurt the girl's feelings. It was amazing really; no girl in Tomoeda recovered that quickly from her cruel jokes to actually answer back cleverly. They also ended up in to a small tradition of doing their homework together and later having a peaceful walk around the estate just before bed time.

"She's nice Kero, and I want her as my friend. Sure she's in the clique now, but…" Tomoyo stopped.

Why exactly was she making her cousin's life miserable? Sakura is nice and never demanded anything from her. She always gave her opinion that never offended her in any way. She's really pretty so she wouldn't taint Tomoyo's popularity by being fat and ugly. Everybody adores her especially that Syaoran Li guy.

She smiled at this.

"You know Kero, maybe its time for me to stop now." Her horse made a noise and she laughed, putting down the brush and hoisting herself up to his trunk, ready to take an afternoon ride. "You know what I mean, you silly horse! I actually don't mind now, coming home with a… _friend_. The estate doesn't seem that big anymore. It's _alive_ now." She chuckled at this, remembering the noise that Touya and Sakura made whenever they fought about something. She tapped Kero once with her riding crop and he moved forward.

They rode in a leisurely phase and Tomoyo continued chatting with her horse, not really caring that the creature was incapable of giving a response. It was better this way since Tomoyo wouldn't have to worry if she opened up too much since Kero wouldn't be able to tell anybody. Her secrets are safe.

"To your left! I SAID TO YOUR LEFT!" Tomoyo gasped and hold unto her reins tightly and tried to make Kero stay still as they tittered near the edge of the road that stood a hundred feet or so from a raging river. Her heart thumped wildly and she clutched her chest as she tried not to inhale the dust that floated around her, the remains of the vanishing reckless rider. She caressed Kero's neck to calm him down and whispered to his ear comfortingly.

Finally, after a minute of silence, Tomoyo positioned herself aerodynamically to gain the right speed f or racing. She tapped Kero three times with her riding crop that only meant one thing. _He's going down._

Tomoyo caught up with the guy easily and saw that he has dark blue hair and a broad back that sported a cream cashmere sweater. He turned around to see her gaining up on him and Tomoyo didn't bother to look at his face to know that he was surprised. She bent her upper extremities lower and reached out her hand to untie his saddle a little so that when he gained a little more speed, well, let's just say that he'll earn a nasty bruise on his face.

Tomoyo tapped Kero twice to lessen their speed and when they were behind the guy and his horse, she smiled when he sped up just as she expected and heard him yelp as he fall off his horse but kept holding on the reins rendering him almost upside down. Tomoyo gave a laugh and took the reins herself.

She stopped both horses and held out her hand to the guy as they entered the clearing. She didn't look at him because she bent down to retie the saddle lock. When she resurfaced, she saw that he was inspecting his left arm for scratches. He turned around and Tomoyo felt herself regretting her actions. Me and my damn pride of getting beaten, she thought bitterly.

He gave her a smile and shook his head with a small laugh that made Tomoyo want to duck under the bushes just behind them. He is a total ten!

"Is this the way you welcome the guy who just came back from boarding school?" His eyes twinkled at her and Tomoyo tried to fix her hair, the strands that escaped her neat ponytail. "I must say that I'm really impressed. Congratulations!" He smiled at her and extended his hand for a shake. Tomoyo raised her eyebrows not getting what he meant with his praise. But then, she gave her hand to him and he shook it gently not letting his gaze fall away from her. It made Tomoyo smile a little. "You just trounced the star player of the polo team."

Sakura gasped and her cheeks flushed as Tomoyo recounted the story of her meeting with the mysterious guy in the Sasaki farm. She tried her best to be not _too_ excited. But she couldn't help it. It was really stupid but she was seating in table numero disi-otso, the table of the moat popular girls in school. They were in the ultimate gossip position as Chiharu taught her.

"Ehmagawd! Did you get his name?" Rika gushed and pinched Tomoyo on her arm.

"Duh! Of course I did!" They all leaned in closer to hear her say his name. "Eriol. Eriol Hiiragizawa. He's a senior in our school fresh from England's finest boarding school. And check this out, he's the newest star player of the polo team" she finished and took a glance at Sakura. She was finally relieved that she was getting some action with her love life and not being overshadowed by her cousin's romance with Syaoran Li. She was also thankful for the fact that she didn't completely destroyed Sakura for she wouldn't want another group to take in the _girlfriend_ of the heir to the Li clan. That was just unacceptable. If ever that happened, that group would start thinking that _her_ clique wasn't good enough to house such a high-profile girl. Now, _that_ she wouldn't know how to handle.

They all turned their heads to see what happened when the cafeteria suddenly became hush-hush.

"OMG! It's him!" Tomoyo grasped Naoko's hand and squeezed it with excitement.

"That's him?" Sakura asked as she saw Syaoran Li walking with a guy with blue hair and glasses. She turned to see Tomoyo nodding her head while quickly putting another coat of lip gloss on her lips. She smiled. "You'd look really cute together."

Tomoyo smiled gratefully at Sakura. "Why is he with your _boyfriend_ by the way?" She asked as playfully stressing on the word that made Sakura tugged at her long hair.

"I don't know. Maybe they're friends or something." Chiharu pulled Sakura's hand away to stop her from ruining her newly hair spa-d tresses.

"Don't act so nervous you dolt. Look cute, their coming this way."

Sakura didn't want to talk to Syaoran Li right now. The school has been creating rumors about them that made her uncomfortable. They weren't an official item yet because that weirdo guy just won't pop the stupid question if they should be exclusive or what. He did say something but still…it was so vague that she doesn't know if that's what he really meant or something else.

Their meetings at the library was stopped because a lot of his fan girls always came barging in and they were thrown out of the library because of the ruckus those pesky girls made, thus labeling them all _persona non grata_ for the rest of the school year.

They met up a few times in the King Penguin Park and it was fun because the students of Seijuu High dare not come there since Tomoyo once said that it was a hangout for LBR's who wouldn't mature enough in time for high school. It was a nice playground actually, a small sanctuary that separated the busy city to the quiet suburbia.

They always sat at the swing right next to each other every night as they debated different topics that stimulated Sakura's intelligence yet it didn't bore her for she loved the way Syaoran Li laughs when she says something that amuses him.

Once they argued whether Aristotle was gay or not due to the fact of how much he condemned women. He never had children or any rumored lover as far as Sakura knows. She hated how his influence on the world was so great that his beliefs on women are still alive and moving in the society today. It defined what a woman is capable and not capable of doing.

"If you hate labels on girls then why are you choosing Daidouji over Meiling?" When he uttered those words she felt that a huge weight just dropped on her shoulders. The wind blew softly; playing with her hair as she softly touched the green ribbon on her head, tied as a headband. She looked at him and his face was a little shadowed by the lack of proper lighting in the park. The blue moon was above them and it gave a soft glow on his features. She breathed deeply as she took how handsome he was.

She bit her lip and tried to answer, to justify her actions, to tell him how much she hated herself for making Meiling hurt. She wanted to tell him that she didn't actually choose Tomoyo _over_ Meiling. She chose them both.

"I mean, somehow, it's the same right? Aristotle said that a woman is an incomplete man, an unfinished being. His views are almost the same as Daidouji's is, only on a different manner. That girl thinks that she's god's greatest creation or something like that and she thinks that the others are just for her amusement." He said this without looking at Sakura, his feet pushing off the ground as he swing-ed himself up lazily. "You know…" He dug both of his heels on the ground to stop himself from swinging. "… I remember when we first met. You said that I'm a nobody to you, that I'm just a viewer of the things that has been happening in Seijuu. You _were_ right Sakura. But now, I'm a different person. I'm not a simple bystander anymore." He stood up and dusted his pants and stretched his arms for a while. Sakura stared at the ground as he did so, until she caught sight of his green Chuck Taylor shoes. She brought her face up to see him extending his hand to her so she could stand up. She gave hers and when she was finally up and turned to go; he tugged at her hand to make her look back. She didn't.

They stood there. His gaze burning the back of her head and her eyes fixated on the tree across the street.

"You know, Meiling said that you only speak one worded- sentences. I'm beginning to think that my hanging out with you is a bad influence on your part." Sakura said with a shaky laugh. She could feel her heart pounding like a wild animal on loose.

"Sakura…I… well," His grip on her tightened. "Don't let Tomoyo be the center of your world. She's not even worth it. You said back then that you wouldn't let people like her step on you."

"Why are you doing this?" Sakura whispered. She turned around and let her tears finally fall. "Everything is okay now! She's my cousin! I'm letting her be my friend this time, can't you understand? I'm giving _us_ a chance to start over because I don't want anymore of those crap happening." She broke free of his grip and took off a few steps but stopped.

"I'm doing this because I told you that I don't want to be a _nobody_ to you anymore. I want to be somebody in your life."

Sakura closed her eyes and tried to calm her nerves as she remembered that night. He didn't make it clear as to what kind of somebody he's referring to. A friend- somebody, a best friend- somebody, or a…

She stopped herself from tugging at her hair knowing that either Rika or Chiharu who were both seated at her two sides, would just claw mercilessly at her hand saying that they didn't want her harassing her perfect new hair.

Sakura looked over Tomoyo and saw her smile sweetly at the Eriol guy as he took a seat next to her.

_She's not even worth it._

She let her eyes fall on her lap, her hands clenched. She tensed up when Syaoran Li sat next to her. She didn't look at him or say hello to him.

_She's just playing you like a pawn in a chess set so she could get what she wants!_

That's not true, Sakura reasoned out at the voices in her head. They're friends now. Tomoyo has been nothing but nice to her ever since she joined them. She could feel the chattering of her teeth.

Suddenly, Syaoran discreetly placed a medium sized of gummy bears on Sakura's lap, over her clenched hands and she jumped a little. She looked over him and saw him glaring at Eriol who just called him a _cute little wolf_. She brought her gaze back at her lap and smiled at his weird way of making a truce. It's really a sweet gesture, Sakura thought. But he still hasn't explained what he meant by being a _somebody_ in her…

Sakura's heart jumped in her throat as all the voices in the cafeteria was washed away in a current of ringing in her ears. She could feel her teeth chattering again like it has been for the past few weeks due to high emotional stress.

But this time, it didn't chatter because of her anger and frustration towards Tomoyo and the gang. It was because Syaoran Li didn't know that it was against the rules to leave table number eighteen without a clique member beside her or all the other members in tow. It was because he just spilled Chiharu's non-fat chocolate milk on the table causing everyone to shriek.

And it was because he was holding her hand as they both left the canteen with every eyes following them.

But Sakura didn't mind at all. She didn't think about what Tomoyo would do to her after this incident. She didn't mind if Syaoran's fan club would hunt her down.

Because, she thought, it's worth it.


	9. Chapter 9

**RED SUN LI PLAZA HOTEL**

**GRAND BALLROOM **

They were all standing around the middle of the dance floor as Tomoyo Daidouji tried to stand up with her head down, her long hair covering most of her face. She was drenched from head to toe, dripping with all the juices available at the refreshment table and every food that the party catered.

Sakura's teeth didn't chatter this time even though her heart pounded relentlessly and her hands felt clammy. Her mind was zoning out despite her protests for it to work so she could do what she's supposed to do. Everyone was pointing and snarling at her once proud cousin.

Tomoyo was kneeling now, not having enough strength to stand up.

Sakura looked over the girl who was clad in a white mini dress by Vera Wang, her hair done in a twist. The girl was standing before Tomoyo, though not a speck of dirt was on her even after the food throwing occurred. Then, she turned her head to the left side of the dance floor; she looked for a guy with blue hair and glasses clad in a long sleeves polo shirt. He was standing near the bar with his hands playing over the rim of a wine glass. He turned to look at her and she grimaced at his expressionless face. After that, she turned her eyes over the balcony just above the dance floor where the VIP room was situated.

Emerald met Chocolate.

_What are you going to do then, Sakura? _She heard his sad voice and bit her lower lip. What am I going to do?

Her gaze fell over her cousin. She was still on the floor, shocked maybe. The majority of Seijuu just witnessed their queen being bullied for the first time. Well, they bullied her.

It was dark inside with a few red, purple and white lights dancing around the room as if the ruckus that just occurred didn't happen. The music was still on full blast as the DJ of the night was rooted on his spot with the same position of holding a CD with one hand and the other in a V sign, the very same position he was in just before it happened. He was shocked as well.

There was no dancing happening as the attendants of Meiling's birthday party crowded in a circle around the birthday girl and Tomoyo Daidouji. No one dared to break the silence; it was a crucial situation between two girls.

Sakura remembered her conversation with Syaoran when they escaped the prying eyes of the Seijuu students in the canteen. They sat in the same bench wherein they first had an impression about each other.

At first there was silence. There was no wind that blew by their way but the sun was way up above their heads and no birds fluttered over them. They sat at exactly the same spot where they have first met, at both ends of the bench with one seating space separating them. Syaoran placed his arms over his knees, leaning slightly forward, his hands clasped together. He stared at the wisteria-covered wall as if in deep concentration. However, the truth to the matter is, Syaoran Li's mind was in a blank state, swirling with unwanted memories but not really processing them. He didn't want to think. Everything is so complicated right now. Meiling and her party is driving him insane but he wanted it to be the best day of her life as of yet. But the fact that his cousin is worried over the prospect of Tomoyo Daidouji ruining her sweet sixteenth party makes her doubt if everything is perfect enough. She didn't want to make a fool out of herself.

Then there's _Sakura Kinomoto_.

He took a glance at his new friend. She's something special to him. They could be more than that if things would just go bugger off and stop bothering them. Throughout the school year, he noticed how she struggled with keeping her faith alive. How she became friends with different people. How she wouldn't let all the things thrown her way be the reason of her downfall. She was always so strong and optimistic that Syaoran couldn't help but admire her.

But this… this friendship with her supposed cousin tears up everything that she's been fighting for. Like what she stood for was nothing but a futile exploit.

He recalled the day when he was out on the corridors for an errand during his Physics period for his professor. He stopped to pick up a folder that he dropped from the pile he was carrying when he heard the unmistakable voice of his friend Takashi Yamazaki. He was about to turn around the corner to say his greetings when he heard constrained giggles coming form the same direction so he pressed himself up on the wall to hear more, not wanting to reveal his presence just in case.

"Stop it! You're hurting him!" Sakura? Syaoran thought.

"It's none of your business Kinomoto! Takashi, give me the darn teddy bear! It's mine! I made it so give it back!" A voice said that seems to be chewing on something. Syaoran lowered on the floor so he could take a look and saw that it was Chiharu Mihara with her friend Rika Sasaki and other girls that he didn't know of.

"No, you gave it to me back in fourth grade so it's mine now. It has been for the past seven years so why are you claiming it after all these time?"

"Because Tomoyo said…"

"Ha! _Tomoyo_…" The guy said with an uncharacteristic disdain on his voice.

"Whatever!" Chiharu and her friends stormed out.

Syaoran's gaze fell over Yamazaki on the floor with Sakura trying to smooth his hair over to see the lump on his head. She rummaged through her bag, frantically looking for anything and brought something wrapped in a white, lace handkerchief. Sakura's eyes flashed of an emotion that resembled doubt to Syaoran but she nevertheless unwrapped the handkerchief anyway and revealed a bag of gummy bears.

Syaoran scratched his head as he could feel his face burning up a little. She carries that thing around with her everyday?

He watched as she clumsily poured water from her pink bottle on the handkerchief. She was panicking and if the scene wasn't that disturbing Syaoran would have said that it was comical.

The girl pressed the handkerchief over Yamazaki's head and took his hand to make him hold it.

"Ano… eto, Ya-yamazaki-kun! Let's go to the Nurse's office!" Sakura took Yamazaki's arm and slung it over her shoulder and tried to heave him up so that they could stand, but she was too small for the size of Yamazaki. He is a soccer player after all so it wasn't a surprise if the guy is heavier than he looks. Sakura, to her dismay slumped on the floor along with the guy she was trying to help. She counted to five and tried to stand up again but it was no use.

"It's okay Kinomoto-san." Yamazaki said, a smile still plastered on his face. He was in a bad shape. "I'll just stay here until the bell rings for end of classes. There's soccer practice today so I'm sure that my captain would come looking for me. That guy is a notorious one so I wouldn't put it past him to hunt me down to attend training since the finals is almost near." He chuckled but stopped when he clutched his stomach in pain.

Syaoran furrowed his brows from what his member just said. Should he take it as a complement or what?

"Eh? But…then, I'll stay here with you!" Yamazaki grinned at the girl who went dotted-eye. He moved his arm that was slung over Sakura's and ruffled her hair.

"You're a nice girl Kinomoto-san."

Syaoran turned his head away and slumped on the wall over the intersection of the corridor his eyes narrowed on the bulletin board in front of him. He didn't like what was happening right now. Should he just come out and intervene? No, not intervene, he thought. Help! Yeah, that's right! He'll come out to help Yamazaki. Syaoran stopped himself and strained his ears to hear more.

It was afternoon now and the sun was almost setting, casting an orange glow over the first floor corridor. He clenched his fist thinking that he's heart was hammering too fast to his dislike.

"Chiharu wasn't like that back then. We were childhood friends, always together, never without the other." He fingered the bump on his head where Chiharu bonked him with her school bag. "I used to tell her stories about things that I know would greatly annoy her and she would come and torture me with her karate-moves." He lowered his head and Sakura clutched his hand. "_Everything changes in high schoo_l. Hmpf, I hate that catch phrase." He stopped and tried to stand on his own, his hand propped on the wall for support, his big built hovering over Sakura. "Kinomoto-san, a favor please, don't let high school change you."

That time, Syaoran sat on the floor, with his right leg bent over a little closer to his chest and his other leg stretched out. He listened to Yamazaki's tone and words and thought about the days they spent as junior high students. It was all simple back then. They were all having a great time as friends. What happened?

The footsteps of Yamazaki Takashi echoed out on the hallway, alerting Syaoran of his friend's nearing discovery of his presence. He didn't moved though when Yamazaki stopped right next to him, leaning on the wall and massaging the lump on his head with the use of Sakura's handkerchief. He stared at it for a while before breaking in to a small, appreciative smile and then gingerly placing the white cloth inside his pants' pocket. Syaoran and Yamazaki were both silent and pondered about things they both knew were too difficult to comprehend. As if words were not enough to describe them.

"You know, if I were you…" Yamazaki said in a soft voice but not making eye contact as he took a small tattered teddy bear from his jacket and brought it to his chest endearingly. "I would do everything in my power to stop that girl from being tainted by the horridness of Tomoyo Daidouji and her crew." He cringed a little and headed towards the stairs to go to the Nurse's office. "Trust me Captain; you don't know how much it hurts to miss someone who is just an arm's length away from you." The guy turned a little to give his friend a sad smile, showing how serious he was, his eyes showing the tiny glint of hazel. "Well then, see you later at practice!" Yamazaki hummed his way out of Syaoran's sight.

He stayed there for a couple of minutes, his head turned over the side, taking in the silent form of Sakura Kinomoto as she cried her eyes out without making any sound, Yamazaki's words probably hitting the spot she's been battling to overcome.

Syaoran cleared his throat and Sakura fidgeted with her tie as they sat in the bench in the courtyard.

He leaned on the bench and exhaled loudly, not wanting the tension. He needs to do something before the time is up and he's left with nothing but memories of good old days with his friend, Sakura Kinomoto.

"What would you rather?" Sakura released a sigh of relief as Syaoran started her favorite game. She tucked her hair behind her ear and stole a glance at him. He was in deep concentration. "Be with Tomoyo and her clique, completely being indifferent to the fact that they're bullying people or be with Meiling whom your cousin labeled as a, what's that word again?" Sakura clenched her fists; she thought everything was okay now. "Oh yeah, a _wannabe_." Syaoran gritted the word out.

Sakura wanted to punch this guy. Why does she have to choose? Why not both?

"I choose them both." She said without batting an eyelash.

"Come on newbie!" Syaoran stood up and stared angrily at the girl who was trying her best to remain calm. "Be realistic! You know how Daidouji is, one day or the other, she'll make you choose just for the heck of seeing you squirm and tug at your hair." He took a few steps, his back facing her. "What are you going to do then, Sakura? Who will you choose? And if you think that I'll just be a nobody and watch you let things go as Tomoyo demands it, then you're mistaken." He seemed to hesitate for a while whether to leave or stay, but he made up his mind and turned back, taking a few strides before he abruptly stopped in front of her. He took her by the shoulders to make her stand up and brought his hands to her face to clutch it.

He closed his eyes and leaned his forehead on hers, hearing her ragged breathing, her tears falling down his hands.

He chose to stay.

Numerous clouds passed over the sun, as if to take pity on the two young friends silently hurting with how things are turning out to be. Finally a soft wind flew by to caress and soothe both of them. Sakura's hair danced in the wind and she brought her hands to hold Syaoran's, who still wouldn't let go of her face. They remained in that position for an eternity.

He let her cry as the soft pelting of the rain drowned her sobs and washed over his pain, the pain of the memory of losing his friends from junior high. Their smiles flashed before his tightly closed eyes and tugged at his heart.

"_I'm here_." He whispered softly to let her know that she isn't alone unlike that day in the corridor of Seijuu High, when he wasn't able to comfort her because he was still a common bystander.

What are you going to do then, Sakura? His voice kept repeating on her head as she stared at Tomoyo in the dance floor.

It wasn't supposed to end up like this, Sakura thought. Tomoyo and her had a heated talk about the prank for WMB. She tried her best to stop her.

"Why should I not do it?" Tomoyo hissed as she stared down at Sakura who was blocking her door. They were going to be late for the party if this keeps up.

"_Because_! Well, just because I ask you! I'm your cousin Tomoyo, please… don't do it!"

She narrowed her eyes at Sakura's lame excuse. "Do you think that _just because_ you're my _cousin_, I'll let you boss me around like that?" She slammed her hand on the door that made Sakura cringe. She brought her scowling face near Sakura's frightened one. "Now, get out of my way."

She tried everything to stop Tomoyo. She made sure that she accompanied Meiling all the time and stay on the VIP room for majority of the party where the clique had no access.

But then, she was distracted by Touya's incessant bugging of her for being in the same room with Syaoran Li that she didn't noticed the crowd encircling two females on the dance floor as her brother jabbered on and on about how short her dress was and other mundane things just to ruin her night.


	10. Chapter 10

To all my readers,

This is NOT a note in which I would inform you that I would discontinue this story. I have no plans or whatsoever.

I would just like for everyone to know that it would be very convenient in my part if you would wait only for at least another week or so for my real update. I was bombarded with term papers and examinations that I didn't have any chance to type the continuation of the story.

Anyway, I would just like to inform everyone who has the time to **drop by my profile for you may be able to find your names in it. I have personal messages posted for my very dear reviewers in there. **

I would also like to address a certain review submitted to me. I am not into Plagiarism. The whole story is definitely not a copy/paste of Lisi Harrison's novel series. I would say that it is a fault in my part for doing a complete version of the first chapter from the first book. I would erase that chapter in a matter of days and would replace it with a new one. Besides, are you buh-lind? The atmosphere of the story is definitely the same but the content is totally different. If you really have the complete set of books, which BTW I do, then you must know that the original characters are in junior high. Tsk. I don't want to waste my time enumerating ahb-vious facts to you. I'd suggest going to an eye doctor because you're definitely barking at the wrong tree. My reviewers have read the books as well and they are smart enough to know that this isn't a carbon copy of LH's masterpiece.

Anyway, to all The Clique lovers out there, a shout out to all of you! Hurrah to Tyra Banks who would be producing the movie for LH's work!


	11. Chapter 11

**DAIDOUJI RESIDENCE**

**Tomoyo's Bathroom**

**12:15am**

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* * *

  
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Sakura washed her hands as she watched her cousin, Tomoyo Daidouji sat atop of the sink of the luxurious bathroom of the Daidouji mansion, teeth clenched. She sighed as she knew how much humiliation and agony her cousin was going through. She must be planning some wicked revenge, Sakura mused as she looked at Tomoyo.

"You must be laughing inside huh? The Queen Bee ousted by the Chinese outcast. _Pathetic_."

Sakura didn't want to answer that kind of statement. It was already past midnight and yet Tomoyo's blood was still boiling, compared to her being all wasted. She felt like some boiled water ready to evaporate any minute.

"Go on. I'm not going to hold it over you if you want to run to that wailing banshee's arms. She can protect you from social ridicule unlike me whose life crashed down at the bottom." Tomoyo fixed her gazed at me and I saw how much hatred and anguish she had inside of her. So young and yet so burdened.

Sakura just shook her head with a frown set on her lips and turned around and exited the bathroom and went straight to Tomoyo's bed to fix it up for her. Tonight, of all nights that this could have happened, they were the only occupants of the mansion. All the servants were dismissed for the weekend and her aunt and uncle were off to the city for some emergency business.

She took a long look around the room, marveling at its richness and beauty from the latest and most fashionable designer items to the most expensive custom made trinkets. Growing up, she never experienced these things, only seeing them in movies or soap operas on the television. They were… mostly pretty, but they were just things. Tomoyo may have been given the best of the material things but she never experienced all the love and guidance of a family. The true friendship given by someone who sees all the things that are good about you and yet still love you for the things that are bad about you, and even the things that you lack.

A cold hand took hold of her arm with a tight grip and Sakura stilled.

"Get out."

Sakura shrugged off Tomoyo's hand and then continued to fix the bed.

"I said…. _Get out._"

"You know what your problem is?" Sakura threw Tomoyo's hand off and then spun around to make her cousin see the rage that she too was feeling. "You live in this world you created and you try to manipulate everything just so that you can say to yourself that you have control!"

"Shut up!" Tomoyo shouted back.

"You want to rule in this high school kingdom and make everyone be afraid of you! You don't have any friends… you have minions! That's what you have! They were your friends once, maybe… in the past… I don't know. I don't know what happened back then but you've got to let it go Tomoyo!"

"_You don't know anything!" _Tomoyo screamed and there was madness in her eyes.

"I don't because you wouldn't let me! How about telling me what this all social hierarchy and bullying is all about huh? What does it really mean to you? Is it just some teenage pride that tells you to rule over high school? That's disgustingly childish and petite Tomoyo!"

They looked at each other, both breathing heavily, Sakura's hand clasped around Tomoyo's arms from all the shaking she did to her, as if that would rattle her brain back into place.

Sakura waited for her to say something but Tomoyo remained silent and unmoving, until the thunder rang so loud it almost broke her hold on her cousin.

"I just want to rule Seijuu that's all. What else do you want me to do?" Tomoyo said silently with a smile that made Sakura remember the day they were in the hallway and they threw water balloons at her.

"You need to grow up, that's what you gotta do." And she went towards the big bed and laid down on it. "I promised your mum that I'll accompany you throughout the night until she gets back." Sakura whispered softly.

Tomoyo didn't answer and just went to the bathroom again but didn't close the door. She rested her back on the wall, biting her lip and then when she saw her reflection on the mirror, she asked herself who that sad looking face belonged to. It definitely didn't belong to her… that's what she remembered.

She felt her lungs constrict and her heart beat rapidly and painfully in her chest. She was just a high school student that wanted her friends to stay the same but it all went haywire as time passed by. She felt them all slipping from her hands into different directions, that she felt hopeless and bitter by the second. She wanted to run after them but they were all so moving so fast she could hardly keep up.

She slid down the wall and brought her knees up to her chest and hugged them with her shaking hands. She laid down her head and thought of how much painful it was to be alone.

It was just high school wasn't it? How did it all end up like this?

Tomoyo bit her lip and finally let herself cry for the first time since she saw her father in a restaurant with another woman. It was just so complicated and painful, how she wanted to get a grip on everything and everyone she cared about.

"Hey, why don't we do it together?"

She felt her cousin sit beside her. She felt Sakura's arm go around her shoulder and her head leaned on hers.

"I think I need to do it too." Tomoyo just cried silently, not letting her sobs to get out. "Growing up, I mean."

They sat on the floor for a really long time, just listening to the thunder and the rain.

"By the way, I could totally hear your teeth chattering. They say that it happens when we're really emotional." Sakura quipped in a chirpy tone that made Tomoyo move her face a little to look at her cousin. "So you got it too huh, that weird Amamiya thing."

And she smiled at her. It made Tomoyo's teeth chatter a little bit more, though from a more positive feeling. Finally she felt at peace, and so did the weather too. They fell asleep at the bathroom floor for a long while, sitting close together like they're life depended on it.


	12. Chapter 12

**TOMOEDA MALL**

**VICTORIA'S SECRET**

"_What is this?" _Tomoyo said with the same disdain she would utter whenever she catches someone in a knock off item.

"It's a date!" Sakura chirped happily trying to remove the humungous scarf and sunglasses off of her cousin. She wanted to laugh at how silly her cousin was acting, trying to get into a _disguise_. Heh, as if no one would recognize the Tomoyo Daidouji with all her designer things hanging on her body.

"I know that. But why is _he_ here?" Her face clearly showed "_EW_" and Sakura got a little irritated.

"Yamazaki-kun is _nice_. And _you_ wanted to be nice remember? So, go on and start with him." Sakura went behind Tomoyo's back and started pushing her towards the direction of the food court where Takashi Yamazaki was waiting but Tomoyo was fighting her off and grumbling how preposterous it was that _she_ would go on a date with _that_ kind of person. It was kind of embarrassing as the other people who were passing them by at the mall were giving them strange looks as they were both struggling to overpower the other in front of a lingerie store no less. "Tomoyo!" Sakura let go of her cousin who seemed surprised that the struggling was over, blew out her bangs in frustration. "Yamazaki-kun is a very nice and a very kind person. In case you've forgotten, you were the one who was mean to him and yet he was the one who took us home _that night_!"

"Hmp." Tomoyo straightened out her clothes and blew out her bangs mockingly the way Sakura did just earlier. She gave her cousin a sarcastic smile and turned around long hair swishing and all, heading towards the direction of the food court.

"Have fun!" Sakura half-shouted at her.

Tomoyo felt foolish walking towards one of her old friends from way back in kindergarten. It felt, unnatural because she actually lost contact with Yamazaki Takashi ever since they entered high school even though he lives four estates away from her. She remembered playing jumping rope and tag with him when they were kids during weekends together with Chiharu and Rika while Naoko just sat at the sidewalk playing with her doll. She remembered that he was on the track and field team in junior high and she was the one who pinned the carnation on his uniform during the opening of the intramurals. It was weird, she thought as she stood in front of him, not knowing how to address him when in fact, in the past she called him _Takashi_ with no effort at all. Back when they used to be friends.

"Yoh." Yamazaki said with a lazy smile on his face and patted the seat right next to him. Tomoyo opted to sit on the other side of the table. Wrong move, because then she had to stare at his smiling face. She felt trapped.

"So…" Tomoyo mumbled.

"Are you hungry? Sorry, I already ordered something, well actually everything that I could think of. "Yamazaki chuckled as he tried to offer Tomoyo hamburgers, chicken nuggets, sundaes, juices, cheesecakes and a lot of other foods that were laid out in the table.

Tomoyo raised her eyebrow at this, seeing how much food he bought. Were they going to spend the whole date eating? She felt amused. And _touched_. Yamazaki practically ordered everything, everything that they used to eat every Saturday after her choir practice and his soccer practice when they used to carpool together and go on a drive-thru.

"Oh, sorry. _Carbs_, forgot." Yamazaki said his shoulders dropping. Tomoyo panicked thinking that he misinterpreted her silence and opened her mouth to say something when he suddenly grinned and stuffed a bunch of fries in her mouth. "There you go!"

Yamazaki just laughed while Tomoyo tried to look indignant while chewing the French fries that were hindering her from scolding him. She grabbed five large pieces of chicken nuggets and grabbed hold of his jaw and stuffed it in his mouth none too gently.

"Tis elishuus." Yamazaki said through a mouthful of nuggets his eyes twinkling with laughter.

Tomoyo just stuck her tongue out at him and grabbed a cheeseburger, slumped down in her seat and started eating while glaring at the boy in front of her. It was all she could do as she tried to eat to cover her chattering teeth due to the fact that she felt like a fifth grader again, carpooling with her guy best friend. She felt conflicted. She knows that it was her fault that they had a falling out. She didn't want to let go of their friendship back then, of him mostly. You know the saying that everything changes in high school? Well, she never exactly feared that statement until Takashi, _her Takashi_ started going out with Chiharu. It felt like she was being replaced as his number one girl.

"Hey, that's mine!" Tomoyo scowled as she slapped Yamazaki's hand away from the French fries.

"Stingy, I paid for those you know."

"It's at my side of the table, _tensai_." Tomoyo aggravated the situation by eating the fries like it was heaven on earth.

"Then I guess the chocolate sundaes are mine, and the hero sandwiches too, and the milkshakes, _anddd behold the almighty mojos!_" He wiggled his fingers like a magician about to show his latest magic trick and was about to reach out to the basket of mojos when Tomoyo beat him to it.

"Hey! That was at my side of the table, _hime_!" Takashi growled out when his hand clutched nothing but air instead a basket full of mojos, his voice inching three knots higher when he called her _princess_ condescendingly.

"_Pshaw_. Too slow."

They ate and tried to battle out on who would get what food. They laughed and teased each other until they actually finished all the food.

"That was good." Yamazaki breathed out, his arm covering his eyes while his head inclined at the back of his chair.

"Yeah, the food was great."

"No… not the food." Yamazaki sat straight in his chair and looked seriously at Tomoyo a smile turning up on his face. "I meant _us_. I missed you. Terribly so."

Tomoyo felt her heart constricting and her eyes were pricking as he stared at her with such honesty, not knowing that she was the reason why the girl he loved, loves, left him. She turned her head and stood up full on the intent of going home but he caught her hand in a tight hold.

"We should go for a walk." Yamazaki said in a low, gruff voice with a set but sad smile on his face.

Tomoyo just stared at the ground as they walked slowly around the mall, her cheeks heating up as she heard the surprised gasps and murmurs probably coming from the students of Seijuu High as they saw the uncanny pair. She took a sneak peek at Yamazaki and felt strange since she never remembered _Takashi_ being this tall, and his hand that big.

She felt kind of irritated at herself knowing that she's been restraining herself from ever crossing paths with him. It was like trying to stop your pee from coming even though the bathroom is just a few steps away.

"Do you mind if we go in?" Tomoyo just mutely nodded, her eyes fixed on her brown boots, her hand clenching her green paisley dress. And then he let go of her hand, and it felt like her heart fell down her stomach like when you're riding in an elevator.

"_Takashi_!" Was that her? Did she just call him? It felt foreign to her. "_Takashi!" _She called out again, desperation and anger in her voice as he continued walking inside the massive store, stopping in front of a baby grand piano.

He sat down and started playing one of her favorite songs, the one she sung in their cultural festival. She felt angry, knowing what he was trying to say. That he never really left her, that he's always been there and that she was just too bitter, too angry to let him in, in her life. She pushed him away when everything in her life went crashing down when in fact she wanted him to be by her side. She was just too afraid that he would leave first so she went ahead and left him.

The tears fell down her cheeks and she took small shaky steps towards him.

And then she ran, ran towards him encircling her arms around him softly crying out his name like he was going to vanish if she stopped. "_Takashi!"_

"Oi _hime_,.." Takashi stopped playing ang placed one of his hands over one of hers.

"_Takashi!"_

"Oi. You'll be fine."

"_Takashi!"_

"Hn."

"_Takashi!"_

Tomoyo's ears were red as they walked hand in hand around the mall, an hour later after her outburst. She felt really embarrassed for crying like that in public no less but felt relieved that Takashi didn't push her away. She got her best friend back.

"Hey, you owe me a new jacket. Mine is soaked with your tears, probably saliva too… _hey is that a booger on my collar_?" Takashi blabbered as he inspected the damaged done.

"I'll buy you a new one!" Tomoyo snatched the jacket away that he was holding with his fingertips like a piece of rug that was used to wipe away puke. She was about to throw it in the trash bin that they were nearing when he snatched it back. "I told you I'll buy you a new one! Let's go to Ralph Lauren." Tomoyo pouted and steered him towards the other side of the mall.

He just laughed merrily and let her drag him into her shopping mode.

"She'll be fine now. She's got Takashi with her." Chiharu murmured putting her oversized Chanel sunglasses on.

"What about you?" Rika said as she lowered her binoculars and then slung her arm over Chiharu's shoulders.

"Ugh. Puh-lease… I'm fine."

"What a liar you are." Naoko sang, closing her puzzle book and putting it on her Louis Vuitton shoulder bag. She stood up from her stake out place that was behind a rack of dolphin key chains and went straight to hug her friend. "Whatever happens, we're still the best of friends."

"I know… I just hope that…" Chiharu looked over the direction where Tomoyo and Takashi were walking. "… She knows that."

"Well," Sakura put down her binoculars letting it hang on her neck. "She won't know unless you tell her." Sakura smiled at her three friends. "I've got a plan."


	13. Chapter 13

**SEIJUU HIGH**

**THE LIBRARY**

It was getting on her nerves how he relentlessly followed her throughout the library. Sure, he was the reason why her _persona non grata_ status got revoked but it doesn't necessarily mean that she should be eternally grateful to his fake _golden boy_ image. Sure she loves books but she wasn't that desperate to regain permission to enter the library building of Seijuu High to the point of being _employed_ as a staff. It's like a job but not a job at all considering how she wasn't getting paid at all. And he even had the audacity to call her situation as a _learning experience_.

Oh how she despised rich kids and their parents especially this boy and his uncle who paid for the building's existence. Sakura then threw a nasty glare as the portrait at the wall by the end of the aisle that was the sponsor of this building.

_Elrick Reed Hiiragizawa_, as the shiny bronze plate stated.

"Will you please stop that?" Sakura huffed as Eriol followed her to the next aisle and took the book that she just reshelf at its rightful place, which was actually at the sixth portion of the bookcase in which she had to no access due to her height thus resulting into her usage of a ladder. They've been at it with this game for the past hour, but come to think about it he's been irritating her for the past week ever since the incident happened at Meiling's party. She's getting tired of this game. Meaning, Eriol following her around the library pretending to search for a certain book that he _just couldn't live without,_ as he desperately expressed earlier. And then when she told him to go to the center of this floor or if he would like to, any floor for that matter, there he would find several kiosks at his disposal where he could type the title or the author of the _bloody book_. But instead he just smiled at her like the Cheshire cat from Alice in Wonderland and pushed his glasses up his nose that went opaque as the sunlight from the window hit it.

Sakura just wished that the next time the light hits his glasses, the freaking boy would get his eyes burned.

Oh goodness, this school was turning her into a very violent and sour school girl.

So instead of following her advice, he opted in following her around while humming the Daimos theme song. By the half hour that he was following her, Sakura was already humming the blasted theme song unconsciously in which Eriol just grinned wickedly.

"Stop what?" Eriol whispered as he leafed through the book that Sakura went through the pain of putting in to the sixth level of the bookcase.

"Being an annoying git!" Sakura said through clenched teeth her eyes fixated on the book that Eriol was playing with, passing the book from one hand to another not minding if he'll damage it if it falls. She didn't want to lose sight of the book considering that she just _lost_ four books that she seriously replaced at their rightful areas. Sakura's very sure who the snotty little thief is.

Eriol just chuckled and gave her a mock bow and gallantly replaced the book where it should be, giving Sakura a look that said _"See, no harm done." _He went ahead of her and started pushing the book cart towards the next aisle like it was the most natural thing to do.

She just groaned and pulled at her hair, touching the greed ribbon that was set as headband on her auburn tresses, a mechanism she developed to calm herself down. She took a deep breath and turned around to follow Eriol Hiiragizawa telling herself that she was just going along his childish way of having a _learning experience_.

_Blasted blue-haired dork_.

At first she couldn't help but be suspicious of him, wondering why he was bothering her with his surprising out of character silliness that was so different from the personality that he usually shows everyone. Chiharu once told her that Hiiragizawa used to study at the rival school of Seijuu, which was the Heian Academy when they were still in junior high. She said that he used to be a rowdy guy, like a rebellious teenager that always gets in trouble more than you could count in a week up to the point that he was sent off to a boarding school abroad by his uncle. Rika even reasoned out that the fact that he used to be a _bad boy _makes him even hotter than normal now that he's reformed.

"He's quiet now. Like a gentleman in the Victorian era that sweeps you off your feet with his style and richness. I mean, isn't it exciting? Girls go _hanyaan_ over him because he seems so vulnerable yet puts on a strong façade." Sakura inwardly scoffed at Rika's usage of her expression thinking that Eriol does not qualify on her category of people to go _hanyaan_ over. Definitely not.

"Let's put it this way. He was a bad guy then but he isn't really a good guy right now. He just mellowed down but he still has this dark aura around him." Naoko talked whilst typing an essay on her laptop, the clicking of the keys distracting Sakura a little bit. "So, it's just typical for girls to want to be _the one_."

"The what?" Chiharu spluttered spraying moist and half chewed Cheetos at the other girls.

Naoko wiped the crumbs from her face like it was a usual occurrence and passed the tissue to the other victims. "The one." She deadpanned, a total _duh_ look on her face. "The girl who will save the sad and tortured soul of Eriol Hiiragizawa. Bring light and love into his life. To simply put it in fairy tale terms, like an angel saving the dark prince."

Sakura took a peek at Eriol's smiling face as he continued humming the Daimos theme song not realizing that she was doing the same thing, wondering if he really was sad and tortured deep inside as Naoko eloquently puts it. She just scrunched her nose thinking what a load of crap that was since he probably was just a pampered self centered rich boy. _Dark prince my foot!_ She shook her head and made him stop at aisle twelve taking hold of the ladder and coming up on it to put the book, _Little Men _on the seventh level of the bookcase.

She was about to come down when Eriol grabbed hold of her waist and dumped her on his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. Sakura was so shocked that she didn't even know how to react for a few seconds as Eriol continued on pushing the book cart still humming the Daimos song.

"What are you doing?" Sakura laughed, feeling silly at the moment. This is insane!

"Having fun." Eriol replied, laughter bubbling in his tone as well.

"Put me down!" Sakura giggled feeling all the blood rushing to her head.

"Later." He cackled.

"Ugh. My head feels heavy."

At that, he slowly set her down to lean on one of the massive bookshelves of the library not letting go of her shoulders as she took a deep breath and leaned on his chest like she wasn't irritated at him at all a few moments ago.

"Do you act like this when you're with Tomoyo?" Sakura murmured, her head still pressed on his chest eyes closed.

Eriol didn't answer but just stood there and let her lean on him.

"You like her but you didn't even help her when she needed it." Sakura pushed him away with both hands and he moved two steps away still grasping her hands and letting it stay planted on his chest, letting her feel his heart.

"She didn't need my help." Eriol murmured back. "She had you."

Sakura looked at him and smiled. "She'll always have me."

Eriol's smiling face turned somber and he let go of Sakura's hands. "During junior high, I went overboard with things thinking that it was for the best since nobody even cared about me considering how my parents lived their life without even sparing a glance at their only child. My mother was a very frivolous woman. She always wanted what she couldn't have even if it meant that she would hurt other people in the process of getting it."

Eriol looked at Sakura, his eyes hiding nothing.

"That time, I heard rumors about her having an affair with a man who owned a toy company. At first I didn't care at all thinking that it was none of my business. Well, it became my business when I learned that she was having an affair with the father of the girl I've been secretly in love with since kindergarten."

Sakura's stomach felt like it was full of rampaging elephants again, her mouth was dry and her eyes were pricking. _Oh no_.

"That girl was like my sunlight. I even learned to play the piano so I could be the accompanist to the choir she sung in. I just felt content at looking at her. To me, her life was perfect. And learning about how my mother ruined her perfect world made me lose all hope of ever entering that world so I accepted the offer of going abroad. I didn't have the courage to face her when she learned about the affair. _I was scared_."

"And finally, I thought it was about time to come back. I should be brave and face whatever it is that would come my way. I thought that love should be honest and ready to accept anything no matter how painful it might be. I just didn't expect that I would come back to a girl who had her soul broken."

"I thought about what I should do to make everything better. But…" Eriol smiled at her, a true and kind smile. "A very stubborn girl already beat me into being a knight in shining armor for the _hime-sama_ of this land." He took a step closer to her and pulled her cheeks with the ever so familiar evil cackle of his. "And because of that, I'll annoy you until the _hime-sama_ sees this dark prince."

"Dark prince my foot you twat!" Sakura pulled Eriol's cheek as well. "Let go you _baka_!"

"I won't let you win this round." Eriol pulled harder, laughter present in their eyes.

They both let go of each other when a resounding and multiple thuds were heard from their left. Sakura saw a few scattered books on the floor and a brown haired guy picking them up.

"_Gomen_. I didn't mean to interrupt."

Sakura felt her eyes pricking again. It was Syaoran Li.

"See you later babe!" Eriol left in a hurry.

"That guy…" Sakura groaned as she went and helped Syaoran pick up the books.

"You don't have to help me." Syaoran said in a low voice his bangs covering his eyes as Sakura took a look at him. "It's my job in exchange for being able to go into the library again."

"It's my job too." Sakura replied back while standing up and putting the books she collected unto the book cart and then waving the ID at Syaoran's face that contained her picture, name and the word _Library Staff_ on it. Syaoran was wearing the same ID too. She turned around to push the book cart but Syaoran beat her to it and they walked side by side, the playful atmosphere that she shared with Eriol totally gone.

"You and Hiiragizawa seemed to be getting close." Syaoran whispered, stopping at one particular bookcase and placing three books in it, his back facing her. Sakura stared at him and raised her eyebrow, a habit that she got from Tomoyo.

"He's just annoying me, nothing more." Sakura said touching her headband.

"You were kind of cuddly back there." Syaoran though that the pitch of his voice just got higher.

"That's just his way of getting on my nerves." Sakura blew her bangs as Syaoran turned around and gave her a glare.

"Why is he so adamant on irritating you? That's like an elementary way of saying that he actually likes you."

"Heh. Believe me, I'm not the one he likes." Sakura gave Syaoran a cheeky smile and pushed the book cart forward and he followed her.

"Hard to believe when he's paying so much attention to you more than he's actually paying attention to his _supposed girlfriend_, Daidouji." Syaoran grumbled like a child that Sakura couldn't help but giggle.

"They're not an item." Sakura smiled. "Yet." Sakura stopped walking and turned to smile at Syaoran. "They're in the process of getting together."

"Then why did he insist that he should be your partner for the fashion show?" Syaoran said, referring to this Saturday's occasion. It was a charity event wherein the student's of Seijuu high would parade their best clothes to auction in order to raise money for the Tomoeda orphanage.

"_Why didn't you insist_?" And they stopped walking. Sakura's hand clenching the handle of the book cart, and Syaoran looking at his other side avoiding Sakura's gaze.

"I couldn't, I'm the host for that event. I'm not allowed to take part in it. But…" Syaoran stopped and took a small bag that contained a few pieces of gummy bears. "It felt weird. Somehow, it didn't feel right that you're partnered up with some guy and not me." He placed the bag of gummy bears in front of Sakura. She took it without looking at him.

"Why is the bag smaller?" Sakura asked.

"It was awkward walking around school with a medium sized bag of gummy worms bulging on my pant's pocket. The guys from the team were insinuating something dirty so I resized it into a smaller one."

"You've been wanting to give me this since Monday huh?" Sakura smiled knowingly at him.

"Don't get too cocky." Syaoran chuckled and passed his hand over Sakura's face, wanting to wipe off her smirk.

"Your hand smells like old paper." Sakura giggled.

They did their job until four in the afternoon, the time their shift ended and both went to the field for their respective practices. As they walked along the graveled path towards the soccer field, Syaoran took hold a few strands of Sakura's hair and remarked about her wearing the green ribbon.

"It's like my lucky charm." Sakura said and at that time, when they looked at each other, Syaoran thought that they were going to be ok because in his heart Sakura was his special girl.

Well, the only thing left was to actually propose to her and make everything official. He plans to do it after the fashion show.

Inside the locker room, his team mates all stopped whatever they were doing as they heard their captain humming the Daimos theme and all thought of the same thing. Their captain was really a weirdo.


	14. Chapter 14

**SEIJUU HIGH**

**AMAMIYA THEATER HALL**

"_What are you doing? It goes to the left! The left you baka!!!" _Rika hissed as she clutched the clip board tighter and waved her left arm wildly towards the sophomores who volunteered for the decorating committee for the fashion show. She was beyond her wits, every single thing getting on her nerves making her angrier by the second. Everyone just seems to be so incompetent and it made her realize how hard a job Tomoyo was doing in arranging these kind of events. Usually, Tomoyo would just click her fingers or raise an eyebrow and everyone would be scurrying about doing exactly what she wanted. And it was always perfect. Gawd! Why is Tomoyo not here? Can't she realize that she needs her best friend right now?!

Rika felt her throat constricting and her eyes got cloudy with tears and she really didn't want to cry right now because this is an event that she needed to organize perfectly in order for her best friends to be back together again. She needed normality.

"_Abunai_!" The long piece of cloth that was to hang on the stage fell and it almost hit some students down the orchestra pit.

"Damn it! I told you to move it to the left and now look at what you've done! Gosh! The show is in three hours why can't you just do it properly and be done with it!"

Naoko walked towards Rika who was shouting furiously at Takada Ken who was a sophomore in Seijuu, trying to hold back the tears that were so totally obvious. Naoko just sighed thinking how Rika was always the one who gets stressed the most. She put her hand over Rika's mouth and her arm slung over her shoulders, steering her friend away from the stage.

"Take a break. Be back in five minutes." Naoko said over her shoulders and the lower classmen sighed in relief hurrying over towards the exit of the auditorium. It seems like everyone just needs a breather nowadays.

"Hey, drink this." Chiharu offered a cup of iced tea stretching her hand towards Rika who was now squatting over the side of the auditorium.

"I freaking don't want it! Gawds Chiharu! All you can think about is food!"

Chiharu stopped herself from crushing the cup or throwing the drink at Rika by reminding herself that this skinny girl is her best friend since forever and that said best friend is suffering from massive stress right now. She clenched her teeth and breathed deeply. She kneeled before Rika and clutched the arms that were crossed over protectively around skinny jeans clad legs.

"I miss her too you know." Chiharu whispered gently.

Rika brought her face up from being buried within her arms and looked at her curly haired friend.

"What about him? Do you miss Takashi?"

"So much." Chiharu stood up and the n gathered other materials that were to be put up on the stage. "Now hurry up Miss Director and tell me where these abominations go so we could get this thing over with and get back the ones we love most."

Naoko smiled and adjusted her glasses, giving a little push towards Rika who stumbled a little and seemed to take a moment to collect herself.

Rika took the megaphone lying on the floor.

"_**BACK TO WORK YOU NEANDERTHALS!!!"**_

Syaoran massaged his forehead as he cringed at the sound of Rika's rejuvenated yelling. The girl must have gotten her strength back considering how she was yelling and screeching orders all over the place. He sighed as he arranged the index cards that have written guidelines about the flow of the program. Their sensei was adamant in making him the masters of ceremonies this year saying how much he brought the crowd into frenzy.

It was ridiculous and yet he can't help but to think that he got bullied into doing something that would absolutely embarrass him once again. Oh heck.

Music blasted off around the auditorium. He remembered it as an inserted song to a movie called _Trilight_ or something like that. Supermassive black hole, he recognized the song as it always plays in the television and Meiling would play it really loud like nobody else but she could hear it.

Fog for effects came out and the stage was covered in different colors of flashing lights moving rapidly at the beat of the music. And then the first two pairs walked down the recently built runway making him scowl at their obvious familiarity.

Halfway across the auditorium with the main lights switched off, and that freaky Hiiragizawa can still spot him in the dark to give him a cheeky grin as he grabbed Sakura's arm and swung her around the stage like stupid whatever that made her laugh like some…. infatuated school girl.

Oh, how he hated that guy.

And this was only rehearsal.

Damn it all.

"_Save your showmanship Hiiragizawa Eriol! I will not let you injure yourself or Sakura before the fashion show! Go dance like a monkey after the show understood?"_ Rika blasted through her megaphone.

Heh. He was beginning to like that megaphone.

"_Li Syaoran! Stop smirking like a deranged maniac! You're scaring the caterers! Go to the changing rooms and dress up already you Chinese brat!"_

Or maybe not.

Students who were packing up materials snickered at the expense of the two most popular guys at school.

"_What are you lot staring at? MOVE!"_ Nope. Definitely not liking it.

Entering the backstage and seeing Yukito munching on takoyaki made him shake his head. This guy never seizes to amaze him.

"Yo!" Yukito raised a hand to greet him and he made a fist to knock his palm as customary greeting. "Want some?"

"You never learn do you?" Syaoran slumped over the wall and watched as Yukito took two chairs from the stacks and handed him one over. "Mizuki-sensei is just outside you know."

"All done. No evidence present." Yukito chuckled, throwing the box that used to contain the takoyakis. "You should be getting ready by now Captain. Don't wanna cause some trouble for Sakura-chan's fashion show. She worked hard in it after all."

"I know." Syaoran stood up and dusted off his pants and was about to walk away when he realized something. "What are you doing here anyway Yuki? You didn't sign up for the show right?"

Yukito just gave his usual smile and inclined his to the side. "A-ra? You didn't sign up for the show either ne, Syaoran? I got dragged in here as well the same as you were."

"Tsukishiro-san! I can smell takoyaki all over the backstage!"

Syoaran just shook his head thinking how ridiculous his friend's antics were just to get the attention of the girl he likes. He took a glimpse as Mizuki-sensei walked towards Yukito with a scolding look, Kinomoto Touya following after her like a puppy.

Hmm… so it seems Yukito might finally make his move since competition is on the way.

"Oi! Matte!" Syaoran turned to see Kinomoto Touya looking at him. He gave the guy a questioning look. "Don't mess up okay. She worked hard on this."

Hmp. Like he needed to be reminded again.


	15. Chapter 15

**HOKKAIDO**

**LOTUS HOTEL**

"You can't hide in here forever you know." Takashi Yamazaki mumbled by the floor of a hotel corridor receiving a strange look from a yukata-clad hotel employee. He just gave a really big grin to the employee who scurried off like a really frightened child. Heh, that's what you get when you're sitting by the floor beside a door at eleven in the evening. "Tomoyo…" he called out once again feeling really sleepy considering that he's been awake for the past twelve hours going shopping and sight-seeing here in Hokkaido with his best friend so she could feel better. How many clothes do you have to buy to make a girl feel better? He actually felt broke despite how his credit card was unlimited. "Please, let's go home. You can't run away forever. Seijuu would still be the same when you come back. Your friends are worried about you."

Takashi stood up and leaned against the hotel door knowing that Tomoyo was just at the other side sitting by the floor and stubbornly refusing to talk to him.

"Worried about me huh?" Takashi's ears perked up upon hearing her bitter voice. At least this was better instead of the silent treatment he's been getting.

"Of course they are!" He grumbled, slightly banging his head repetitively at the wooden door as he pronounced each word. "_Hime_… we really need to go home." He stopped torturing his head and slid down the floor once again leaning his upper body by the door. He thought that the plan that Kinomoto Sakura told him would be useless if the intended target of reconciliation would be here in Hokkaido instead of in Tomoeda.

"Takashi…" he heard her sob and he gingerly took out a white lace handkerchief that was pressed and folded neatly from his breast pocket. He fingered it and smiled thinking of the silly auburn-haired girl that told him about how their group planned a fashion show that would really surprise Tomoyo. It was their gift to her so he stole her sketch pad that contained all those designs that she always doodled around in school. It was going to be the clothes that would be presented in the fashion show and auctioned for bidding. Tomoyo's closest friends knew about her passion for designing and clothes but never really had the guts to say it out loud due to her complex about her mother being a successful entrepreneur and her fear of always walking in her shadow.

"Hm?" He slid the handkerchief back at his breast pocket and tried to forget about green eyes.

"You like Sakura don't you?"

Oh.

How observant. And he thought he kept it hidden wonderfully.

"I'm trying not to." He said quietly as a flash of amber eyes passed inside his mind. How difficult could life get?

"Figures. You didn't talk to me for four years even though Chiharu tried to make us friends again and then suddenly you showed up for a date at the mall just because that cousin of mine asked you to." There was a lapse of silence at each side of the door.

Complicated, this thing they called adolescence.

"What about Chiharu?" Tomoyo flinched when she heard Takashi punched the door. She knew that she didn't have the right to pry on his heart. The way she took away his first love and now trying to act like she was guilty was out of the question. She simply had no right and yet even though she completely thinks it was her fault that she got his heart broken, she still had to act on her selfishness and know if he still loved her best friend.

"I just…" Takashi gritted his teeth and brought a hand o cover his eyes. "… _I can't_. Not anymore. I loved her, really loved her. It was so painful and I was so angry. I've decided to let it go… to stop this love because if I didn't, then I think I'm going to destroy myself."

Tomoyo wrapped her arms around her legs and cried knowing now how much she hurt her best friend because she was too afraid to lose him back then.

"_Gomen… hontou-ni gomen ne Takashi_." She whispered over and over again. But no matter how many times she said, Takashi never really said that he forgave her.

An hour passed and they stayed like that until Tomoyo finally stopped crying. She packed all her things along with Takashi's and tried to stay determined.

She was going back to Tomoeda.

She opened the door and Takashi fell to the floor halfway out of the room and halfway in. He just opened one of his eyes, arms crossed over his chest.

Tomoyo crouched over him.

"Hey…" Takashi mumbled.

"Thanks for coming with me today and meeting _her_." Tomoyo said not looking in his eyes. _Her_, meaning her father's mistress.

_Maria Hiiragizawa. _

"Anything for the _hime_."

She punched his shoulder and laughed. "Let's go home."

Takashi took the hand that she offered and hauled him up releasing a huge breath as he thought about how the plan was finally set to action. He just received a text message from Kinomoto Sakura saying that there was going to be a rehearsal at the Amamiya Theatre Hall this afternoon and he should be there considering how he was one of the models. He shook his head and went straight for the bathroom to wash his face and texted a reply saying that he might not make it in time because they just missed their flight due to Tomoyo's stubbornness. They would have to catch the bullet train and may arrive at Tokyo an hour before the show started and they still have to travel by car to go back to Tomoeda.

_Just ask my captain to be your partner for the finale. You can't take Hiiragizawa as your partner again since he'll be the one exercising his charms on Tomoyo before the show ended_.

He took a glance at the mirror and tried to grin as he sent this message.

He could hear how loudly the clock was ticking and it was in sync with his heart as it thumped painfully.

_You can't. You just can't_

He clutched his heart, his fingers enveloping his breast pocket.

This pain was something he didn't want to forget.

How do you stop from falling in love with someone who smiles at you like the bright sun and yet that smile was nothing compared to the small gentle ones she reserves for Li Syaoran.

_I'll pray for your safe trip. I'll try and ask him. Thanks for the hard work Yamazaki-kun._

No. No, this isn't love. Surely it isn't. It's just infatuation right? It had to be.

"Eww Takashi! Are you pooping in there? Gross!"

He opened the door and plastered his hands all over Tomoyo's face joking about how he didn't wash his hands while she screamed and laughed trying to push him away. And then she saw his eyes.

"When we get back how about telling the ones we really like about how we really feel?" She said while giving him a tender look. "I think that being honest should be the newest trends. It makes everything simpler and a little less painful don't you think?"

"So I guess you'll be confessing to Hiiragizawa then?"

"And you to Sakura?"

They stared at each other.

They nodded and then grabbed their things to set off. It was time to stop running away.

When they arrived at Tomoeda, Tomoyo immediately saw the banner at every street that showed an ad about their school's charity event and wondered why none of her friends even bothered to contact her to inform her about this. Much less check up on how she was.

Not even the boy she liked despite his connection to the women whom her father committed adultery with.

"Ready?"

"I'm not." She whispered. "But I'm sucking it up." She said determinedly and walked straight ahead towards the grand gates of Seijuu High.


	16. Chapter 16

**AMAMIYA AUDITORIUM**

**A Charity-based Fashion Show for the Benefit of the victims **

**Of the Storm "Ondoy" in the Philippines sponsored by Tomoeda High Alumni**

**Designs courtesy of Daidouji Tomoyo, junior student of Tomoeda High**

The fashion show was a huge hit with everyone in Tomoeda crowding the Amamiya auditorium. Flashes from camera were going off every side of the hall and cheers and hoots were resounding from the enthusiastic crowd. The music was blaring loudly and it just gave the right mood for the fashion show, _When I Grow Up_ of the _Pussycat Dolls'_ was on.

Sakura clasped her hands, willing herself to knock it off. She was definitely nervous and it didn't make anything better considering how jelly-like her knees are acting. There were elephants in her tummy and she was repressing her teeth so much that she could actually feel it vibrating. The students in front of her who were chosen as models were thinning so fast that she had to look everywhere but in front.

"Yoh! Kinomoto!" Sakura's head snapped towards the shouting guy across the backstage. He was her counterpart for this show; they had matching outfits consisting of a red and clack theme. He had his arms crossed and was leaning against the wall, also waiting for his turn with the other guys. "Stop looking constipated."

And he just had to tease her once again. Snickers and laughter filled the backstage. Sakura immediately stood straight and threw her hair over her shoulder giving him a scathing look.

"Then you should probably stop looking like a _hentai_." She stuck her tongue out after saying her line and then promptly focused ahead of her. She didn't want to have another squabble with that blue-haired four-eyed freak. She was doing this for her cousin and nothing, meaning absolutely nothing should go wrong.

The one in front of her went out the stage and she felt all the blood drain down towards her toes. She can't faint. She won't faint. Please, no fainting!

"Oi." She screwed up her nose and made a face, not daring to look at that _baka_. "Let's have fun Kinomoto. These are her designs after all, it's supposed to bring happiness in life." Her face relaxed and her extremities loosened up. She took a quick peek at him and smiled. "And please do not trip." He added quickly.

"Please. I think you forgot who I am. I'm Nadeshiko Amamiya's daughter. Japan's _top_ model. _You are so going to look like a baby trying to walk for the first time with me as your partner and I am so going to love every minute of it._" She said the last sentence looking straight ahead with a confident look on her face thinking how Eriol Hiiragizawa always seem to bring out the bitch in her. The music stopped and immediately turned into another one, _Your Love is My Drug _by _Kesha_. Sakura counted from one to forty as instructed by Chiharu who was the stage manager of the show. It was the same amount of time that needed in order for a video presentation about the designs of Tomoyo to play and also the same amount of time until the catchy-chorus to kick in. Her nerves started calming down and the blood in her toes started circulating again in her body. She felt powerful and it's all thanks to Eriol. As she reached number thirty-nine she threw a smirk over Eriol who also did the same to her before jumping her way to the stage at number forty as the same time Eriol did.

The audience went wild, some even jumping as they cheered for the two who were doing a different kind of style of walking in the runway. It was the _hentai's_ idea when he suddenly twirled her during rehearsals, thinking that it would be more fun if they danced through the runway instead of just walking in it. Naoko and Rika loved the idea very much but Chiharu was hesitant about it until Eriol chose the music and started choreographing the steps with Sakura. Chiharu called him the ultimate _tensai_.

And so the second part of the fashion show started with Eriol and Sakura making the crowd roar.

Tomoyo Daidouji watched with her mouth hanging open not even bothering to conceal her surprise as the clothes paraded by her best friends and school mates were met with enthusiasm by the whole of Tomoeda. They freaking loved it. Her designs. _Ohmygawd_.

She didn't know if she should be jumping for joy or screaming in anger. It was so surreal. She saw Chiharu going all over the place with a clipboard on hand and a radio on the other, whispering to it furiously every five minutes. Rika was at the Audio-Visual Control Room with a headset on her head, coordinating with Chiharu like a pro, making the cues at the lights and music. Naoko was probably at the backstage getting everyone ready and making them calm down like she always did.

Sakura. Her cousin was sashaying down the ramp like a real pro. She felt her teeth chattering as tears started flowing down her cheeks. Tomoyo thought how beautiful her cousin was, smiling wonderfully and moving so smoothly. Everyone adoring her. This is a definite sign that said that Sakura was the rightful queen of Tomoeda High. She just can't help but be charming. But the surprising things is, amidst all these other surprises, Tomoyo felt relieved that it was all going to be over in a few moments. She was just too tired with manipulation and deceit. It was time that she came out with the real her and be with her loved ones no matter what the consequence. Be damned that stupid high school hierarchy, she was an incoming senior anyway and that status is a guaranteed position of respect.

She wiped her tears away just as the music changed into a decent hyped remix of _Justin Bieber's Baby_. She looked back and saw Eriol and Sakura entering back into the stage and dancing through the runway. They were wearing the designs she made especially for Sakura and Syaoran that consisted of pink and green. Gummy bear colors that she always sees in Sakura's backpack. Somehow, it also suited Eriol Hiiragizawa in a way that made Tomoyo smiled thinking how he would always look good in anything. _Except in yellow. Uck, He would look horrible in yellow with that hair._

Tomoyo surveyed the hall losing her interest in the stage when another pair of models went on stage after Eriol and Sakura. She spotted Syaoran Li, sulking in a corner obviously affected with the big smiles that were plastered on her cousin's and Eriol's face. Not to mention the frequent hand holding and eye contacts that the two models shared. She whipped her video camera out and zoomed it to Syaoran Li's face, walking steadily closer to him.

"I can confiscate that you know. Student council president power and all." Syaoran said without taking his eyes off the stage. Tomoyo put her camera down and gave him an unbelieving look. "Welcome back." He added a few seconds later when Tomoyo stood beside him.

"Arigatou." They just stood there in silence waiting for a certain pair of model to reemerge on to the ramp. "Oi, Li."

"Hn?"

Tomoyo had a mischievous smile on her face and Syaoran Li didn't like it. "Stop looking constipated."

And she just had to take a picture of his confused face when he turned around to say something to her.

"Blackmail!" Tomoyo said in a sing-song voice as she hurriedly ran to the other side of the auditorium. She needed to get some air before all the emotions come flooding in. She was almost at the doors leading outside when she heard her name being shouted over the microphone. Music stopped and lights going around the hall as if trying to find her.

"Tomoyo Daidouji?" Eriol repeated over the microphone, his eyes searching the hall for someone with long, black, wavy hair. His princess was nowhere in sight. "Tomoyo?"

His hands were getting sweaty and his ears were ringing so loud, he could barely hear himself. Oh the humiliation. Please let her be here. _Damn it Takashi! You're supposed to bring her here!_

Someone poked him hard at his side and he could almost hear Sakura yelling at him on her head telling him to get a move on.

He took a deep breath.

He thought that it was now or never.

"I LOVE YOU!!!!" Bollocks. Did he just shouted that over the microphone?


	17. Chapter 17

**Amamiya Auditorium, Backstage**

Naoko smiled lightly, shaking her head as she leaned sideways on the wall of the entrance of the back stage of Amamiya hall. She saw her best friend getting riled up over the fabrics and the clothes pointing out all those irregularities, the mistakes and the so-called 'shame to fashion'. Her cheeks were flushed and her eyes were shining contradicting to the words that were coming out of her mouth. The fashion show was a huge success garnering about a half a million dollars from the sponsors and the buyers of the collection.

"Ohmygawd! You guys did it all wrong! This is not red! This fabric is burgundy! Are you guys buh-lind?"

Yamazaki chuckled as he stood beside Naoko Yanagisawa hearing all the noise that Tomoyo Daidouji was making. He could see the freshmen cringe at the _hime's_ words probably not that used to the vicious nature of the Daidouji heiress. The sophomores and the juniors just shook their heads and tried to ignore her as much as possible while subtlety moving farther away. Smart people.

"So, you're back too huh? Had a great trip?" Naoko said, fixing her glasses carefully hiding the expression on her eyes.

"Whatever you are thinking Naoko, it's not it."

"Really?" Naoko said unbelievingly and in the background they could hear Rika's struggle to hide the megaphone from Tomoyo in case its existence is discovered. Naoko just shivered a little thinking about the damage it would cause to her ears if ever Tomoyo discovered that abominable device.

"Look." Takashi Yamazaki faced the bespectacled girl with a frown on his face. "Tomoyo and I go way back. She's my best friend and that never changed despite all the power trips you girls have been playing since junior high."

A nerve pulsed dangerously on Naoko's head. Wrong thing to say Yamazaki. "Then are you planning to get together with Chiharu again?"

Takashi was dumbfounded at this girl's straightforwardness. His mouth hung agape and his hands unclenched.

"I…can't."

"Why not?"

"Hey guys!" Sakura came bouncing towards them with a bouquet of orange roses in her arms. She was smiling brightly that it somehow subdued the tense atmosphere between Naoko and Takashi. "Don't forget to head straight over the Daidouji estate for the after party okay! Oh! And Naoko-chan…" In which Sakura handed over Naoko a red megaphone that was stuffed in the duffel bag that was slung over her shoulder. The duffel bag looked like one of those customized bags for the members of the Seijuu High Soccer Varsity Team, the word '_captain_' stitched carefully on its strap. She saw that Yamazaki was also looking at the same spot. "Rika-san wanted you to hide this." She smiled sheepishly at her in which Naoko just sighed and accepted the megaphone. "Yamazaki-kun! _Okaeri_!"

And Takashi just had to give _that_ smile. And Naoko Yanagisawa saw it.

After she left, Naoko slammed the megaphone on Takashi's stomach gaining a loud '_oomphf'_ from him. "You hide this, _baka_." And she turned around to head over her best friend's side to stop all the ranting all the while murmuring about 'making things more complicated', and things like, 'I am so not going to fix this once it blows over.'

"This hemline is a disaster!" Tomoyo Daidouji shouted and was about to say more when her best friend clamped her mouth shut with her hand and gave a look that completely said to shut it.

"After party." Naoko said with a very crossed look that it made Tomoyo relax a little for it was a familiar look. The look that said that Naoko Yanagisawa was taking over and she could rest. Naoko looked over the other students and jerked her head towards the exit indicating for them to scram. "You are in serious trouble." Naoko sighed as she dragged her friend outside the hall and pushed her inside the silver Range Rover heading straight towards the Daidouji mansion.

The ride back towards the Daidouji estate was quiet but no one dared to speak a word. Chiharu was sitting at the farthest right playing with a bag of marshmallows and not really eating anything. Rika sat beside her, furiously texting away from her Blackberry phone and occasionally glancing at Tomoyo who was sitting rigidly straight next to her with her lips pursed. On the other side of Tomoyo sat Naoko who was once again reading despite the moving vehicle.

"Sakura's with Yamazaki-kun right now. She said he asked her to stay behind to talk about something. I told her to come right over after their talk." Rika commented and decided that it was the wrong thing to say considering how Chiharu dropped her bag of marshmallows and Tomoyo bit her lip and glanced over at Naoko who put her book down and stared at Chiharu.

"I'm fine." Chiharu said in a much clipped voice, her hands clenched over her black denim skirt by Guess. "I said I'm fine so stop with the staring."

"_Gomen_… Chiharu." Tomoyo whispered and Rika inhaled a little too loudly, making her think of sitting between two motion-censored bombs or something. She totally felt trapped right now. She knew that Chiharu is still in love with that soccer dude who had tendencies to tell absurd stories and that somehow, Tomoyo always seemed to be more special to that lying freak than his girlfriend, _ex_ she tried to remind herself, and that Sakura Kinomoto managed to make that smiling idiot fall for her. Chiharu always had a confidence issue. She always sold herself short, thinking that everyone she loved were bound to abandon her and leave her for someone else. Rika didn't get it. It was too complicated for her to analyze and she does care for Chiharu but she has her own problems too.

She typed on her Blackberry and press send. Naoko's Samsung yellow pro-Corby vibrated.

**Sasaki Rika:**

_Disaster much??? _

**Yanagisawa Naoko:**

_I'm actually preparing for WW3._

Back at Seijuu High, on the ground floor of the senior's building Sakura waited for Yamazaki Takashi to speak up. They have been standing opposite of each other without moving nor saying anything for the past five minutes. Maybe it was because when Yamazaki-kun asked her if they could talk he wanted it to be just the two of them but somehow, the blue-haired monster and the broody-captain managed to tag along and they were glaring at Yamazaki Takashi for the past five minutes arms akimbo. Or maybe, it was just Li Syaoran who was glaring and that Eriol Hiiragizawa was smiling like he was the Cheshire cat from Alice in Wonderland.

What an awkward moment. Sakura felt sorry for Yamazaki-kun.

"You should go home." Sakura suggested at the two uninvited guests.

"That's a good idea." Syaoran gave a sarcastic tight smile and tried to drag Sakura off to the exit.

"Hoe? I meant you and Eriol-kun."

Syaoran did not let go of Sakura but turned towards Takashi who had his head leaning on the lockers his eyes staring at the ceiling. Eriol on the other hand just gave a casual shrug and walked towards the exit giving him a pat on the shoulder and saying something along the lines of, 'The queen wants to be left alone with the joker. I guess the king can really move only one at a time.'

Syaoran stayed for a while. He was jealous. Always jealous. Of Eriol and of Takashi who never seems to be in an awkward moment with Sakura. They always manage to make her laugh, to bring out expressions on her face that he could never have thought she had, to make her choose with such strength.

He searched her eyes. He wanted to tell her. And then he looked over Takashi. He thought of the instances when he saw that resigned expression of his friend's face. _How many times have you gotten your heart broken Takashi?_ And then he backed away, slowly letting his hand fall, slowly letting go of Sakura's hand. _I have this deep hope in my heart that we will be together. It's painful thinking that you'll find somebody else but I guess, I can't stop your heart from loving someone like how I can't stop myself from loving you. I hope that if I turn around and let him tell you his feelings, the eys that always shined when you looked at me would not vanish. _

"I'll wait for you." He whispered softly, his head bowed as the sun behind him started its journey to the west and finally give way to the moon. He walked away and embraced the darkness that welcomed him on his retreat.

When Syaoran got out of the building and into the parking lot he saw that Eriol Hiiragizawa was leaning casually on his shiny blue mini cooper car. Syaoran sat on the hood of his black 2010 Mustang Shelby GT500.

"You are so whipped man." Eriol chuckled tossing a bottle of mineral water over to Syaoran who caught it just in time before it smacked straight at his head.

"At least I wasn't the idiot who shouted at the whole auditorium that he was in love with Daidouji. And got no reply but instead got glared at by the said girl and gotten smacked on the forehead with an invitation for the after party." Syaoran said dryly garnering him a sour look from Eriol. He just shook his head at the memory of a very embarrassed and very angry Tomoyo who marched purposefully down the aisle towards the stage after receiving a maroon envelope from a much harried Rika.

"Hey." Syaoran looked at his cousin. "I'm not ashamed of that." Eriol said as he stared at the building that they just left minutes ago.

After fifteen more minutes, they saw Takashi walking towards them without sparing them a look going straight to his silver Mazda 3 car and speeding off.

They waited for Sakura to come out. She didn't.


	18. Chapter 18

It was the after party for the fashion show and everyone was having a good time while Sakura was stuck inside the guest room with Li Syaoran. She was walking around the room, trying her best to avoid the space he was occupying by the window. She felt like she was suffocating inside this locked room, and so once again she gripped the door's handle and tried to open it.

It was useless.

Then she heard him sigh.

"What?" She asked irately. She didn't know what's wrong with her but she just felt drain and so tired that every little thing comes off as annoying so she loses her temper and snaps at the nearest person to her, which happens to be none other than Syaoran.

He just looked at her and shook his head then stood up and went towards her. With every step he took forwards, Sakura took two steps backward until she hit the wall and was trapped between him and the solid mass that separated them from everybody. He took a strand of her hair and started playing with it whilst just staring at her. Sakura batted his hand away but he just placed both of his hands on the wall trapping her in and leaning his head on her shoulder. The weight of his head sent tingles on her body and she hated it... because her heart went three hundred sixty miles per hour.

"I love you." He whispered in her left ear and then placed his head on her other side and whispered the same words on her right ear. "I love you."

She felt like jelly, and he embraced her just in time before she melted like a stupid ice cream. He kissed her forehead tenderly, then her closed eyes, her nose and as if to tease her cruelly... the corner of her lips. She clutched his shirt and couldn't help but shiver wonderfully when he pulled her flushed to him and gave her a kiss. It was a kiss that meant so many things that she didn't want to open her eyes and face the truth.

The truth that she was leaving Tomoeda soon. So soon that the seconds she counted were flying by so fast, she wanted to pause it.

Outside the room that they were locked in, back to the living room where the party was on full blast, Tomoyo didn't know if she could suppress the smile that was threatening to come out of her lips because of Eriol's persistent grumbling about how she wouldn't even glance at him. He has been following her all night, entertaining guests and running errands to make sure everything was all right. She never acknowledged his presence and never looked at him that's why he pouted and persisted.

Tomoyo thought that he was the cutest thing. Even cuter than her pet Kero.

She was about to turn around and face him after all the detours she'd made and all the twists and turns she made sure to make to see if he'll give up, when she felt arms encircled her waist and pulling her close to a warm and lean body.

Jeers and cheers could be heard as Eriol hugged Tomoyo from behind and the said victim was red from ears to toes.

"Woohoo! You're the man Hiiragizawa!"

"They're so cute!"

"Lucky bitch!"

Tomoyo felt embarrassed but still pleased that people were there to witness how crazy Eriol is for her. Then she saw Takashi at the other side of the room talking to a crying Chiharu. She felt her chest tighten, knowing that he wasn't in love with his ex girlfriend anymore, yet Chiharu never really moved on.

She placed her hands on top of Eriol's and he only hugged her tighter.

"I'm not letting you go..." He said.

And she just had to smile at that. A smile that was grateful.

"I know." She replied and then intertwined her fingers with his.

And their crowd cheered.

Touya stood with Yukito in front of the buffet table, not really putting anything on his plate even though his friend was filling his plate with every reachable and unreachable food that was near and not so near them.

"Wah! Apple pie!" Yukito said and took two slices, placing them in his already filled plate. Two filled plates. He took a glance at the brooding Kinomoto and just chuckled, knowing exactly what was bothering him. "Ne... To-ya."

"Hn?" He grunted in reply, placing his empty plate at the buffet table and turning towards the living room and sitting down on the sofa. He closed his eyes and breathed deeply, slouching down and extending his legs.

"I'll miss you." Yukito said and Touya smiled at this.

"Yeah. Me too."

Takashi Yamazaki sat on a wooden swing by the front porch facing the Daidouji's driveway and thought about what he said to Sakura earlier. He knew that she was leaving tonight with her family. They were migrating in the United States where her maternal grandfather just gave them an opportunity to start a business to be headed by her father. He was aware of these things because his Uncle was based in California were the Kinomotos were headed, and he was to head their PR Department.

Sakura was stunned when he told her this and she just bowed her head at that time to not look at his accusing eyes.

And then he told her that he likes her.

It was plain and simple, with no stories attached. Sincere.

"_I'm sorry."_ That was her reply. But he didn't feel anything but relief, because she didn't lie to him. She was honest and straightforward. She gave him the truth and it felt liberating because he was expecting it since it was so blatantly obvious that his captain already captured her heart. It was expected yet he didn't know how to react to it. So he just nodded and left her there.

"Oi... baka." His eyes snapped towards his left where Naoko was walking towards him. She sat right next to him and then flicked his forehead.

"Heh." He chuckled at the absurdity of the situation. Was she comforting him? Naoko Yanagisawa, the girl with the talent of eyebrow raising that he never succeeded in copying and only resulted in him looking like a spaz..?

"Did you know that smiling can actually help stop the process of aging than when you're frowning?" She said nonchalantly like it was everyday that they did this, that she shared absurd stories with him all the time. "It's true you know." She turned and smiled at him. He was totally speechless. Was this really happening? "Frowning takes more muscles than smiling. So you should smile and then you wouldn't lose this baby face." She said while pulling his cheek.

"Owww..." He pulled her cheek in return and they ended up laughing causing her to drop her puzzle book. He bent down to pick it up and then dusted it off before giving it back to her. "You're priceless." He chuckled when she took it back, and raised that oh so infamous eyebrow. "Solving puzzles during a high school party..."

He laughed heartily and she just shook her head.

"Don't go falling in love with me now."

"Ho-ho! Now that's more priceless! Yanagisawa joking!" And then she bonked him on the head.

It felt like normal again. He's glad.


	19. Chapter 19

I was sitting inside my new room in California. It was painted white with a four-poster bed, princess style and all that lace. Everything that surrounded me was white, and just outside the terrace of my room, there's a view of the wonderful beach. Yes, our house was by the beach side. It was sweet and I got excited once we arrived in it, especially when I saw my room that was already decorated by an interior designer hired by my grand-dad. However, the novelty of suddenly being well off lost its sparkle when I went outside the house and didn't know which way to go. I have no friends here. I'm on the starting line once again and the fact remained that I wasn't able to leave Tomoeda in good terms.

"Sakura-chan..." It was my mom. I turned my head to look at her and saw how beautiful my mother really is. She's wearing a maxi dress that did wonders to her complexion. She entered my room, holding a few hangers with designer clothes hanging on it. Probably another set of gifts from my father's new colleagues. Bunch of suck ups. The surname of Amamiya really does wonders to one's status.

She placed the hangers inside my walk in closet, it wasn't as big as Tomoyo's but it was still a huge step up from my room in the guest house and definitely a leap from my room back in Okinawa.

My mom emerged from the closet and sat right next to me, placing her arm around my shoulders.

"Do you like your room? It's all white, just like you've always wanted. I remember when you were six years old, you said you wanted everything to be white in your dream castle because it will be just like heaven." I giggled upon remembering those days of carefree childhood notions. It was my idea then because I saw my mom's picture in a magazine that had an angel theme and ofcourse, being the idolizing child that I was, I wanted to be an angel too so I wanted every single thing in my world to be white... to be pure.

I looked outside the terrace once again, having the floor length glass sliding doors wide open. The waves were crashing, and the wind was just enough to keep me cool. I didn't feel like talking to my mom so I didn't say anything.

"Sakura-chan..." She laid her head on m shoulder. "I'm sorry for taking you away from your friends. But as a family, we need to stick together. Your father is finally getting the chance that he deserves and Touya-kun gets to study in his dream school. I get to model again..."

"What about me?" I whispered and I shook off her arm and stood up from the bed.

And as much as I waited for my mom to tell me something... _anything_... anything at all to calm my heart. To make everything okay, to erase this pain in my heart. But she was speechless. Her eyes avoided mine and that's what it took for me to get my Chanel shoulder bag and Marc Jacobs black jacket so I could take a walk around this neighbourhood that I will have to live in until I graduated high school.

As I exited the house, I knew that my brother was just behind me.

"I'm not running away Touya." I grumbled, knowing exactly what he was thinking.

He grabbed my arm and turned me around to face him.

"Stop this. Stop being angry at us because this isn't the answer to all your teenage drama. In case you haven't noticed, otousan, okaasan and even me have left friends and loved ones behind too! You're not the only one who misses everything back in Japan."

His eyes were furious and his grip felt like lead.

"It feels like... I betrayed her." I whispered to him, leaning my head on his chest.

And when she said that, every single detail about their departure came flashing back inside Touya's head.

"_Ne... To-ya. I'm going to miss you." Yukito said that with his eyes full of sinceritu. He let go of his plate and stopped eating. _

"_Me too." Touya replied. He didn't know what to say to his friend. It felt like that by saying goodbye, he was never going to see this snow bunny ever again. And he didn't want that. For all the achievements that he had received, his fellow classmates back in Okinawa resented him for it. He was part of a program that taught gifted children together in one school and ofcourse, competition was at its highest. However, despite all those medals and certificates of recognition, he wasn't able to feel the real meaning of success because those things only served to isolate him from everybody. There were admirers, but there weren't really true friends whom he could count on. They were just people whom he shared a classroom with._

_But this guy was different. Being here in Tomoeda, he decided that he would tone down from all the academic achievements and focus on being a normal kid. And that's what he got from Tsukishiro Yukito. A fun highschool life._

_As the clock stroke twelve, he felt weird thinking about Cinderella. He needed to go before everything that his fairy godmother has given him disappears._

_He didn't let Yuki to accompany him outside the house. It would just be too weird if he saw him while knowing that he was going away and never coming back. He wanted to pretend that this was just another school night and that tomorrow... he will see him again in school._

_Upon exiting through the main entrance, he saw Takashi Yamazaki and Naoko Yanagisawa in the front porch and nodded at them. He knew that Yamazaki is aware of the Kinomoto's situation and ofcourse, the brain of his cousin's posse probably already figured it out._

_He saw that the car that his dad hired to take them to the airport was already there. Sakura was the only one missing._

_He opened the door leading to the passenger's seat and that's when he saw his sister running towards him, with their cousin furiously in tow._

"_How could you?" Tomoyo grabbed Sakura's arm and turned her around so that they faced each other. Sakura resisted but Tomoyo was in a rage. "Just like that? JUST LIKE THAT?" She was visibly shaking, and Touya noted the very infamous Amamiya trait was also passed down to his cousin. Her teeth were chattering. "Answer me!"_

_Sakura just shook her head and tried to pry Tomoyo's hands away from her arms. They really needed to go but Touya just let them talk it out. They needed this closure._

"_You were going to leave without telling us..." Her eyes were mad with rage and tears were already spilling from it. "Without telling me!" She shook Sakura twice and screamed. "SAY SOMETHING!"_

_Li Syaoran appeared and stood in the porch along with Yamazaki and Yanagisawa. _

"_Tomoyo..." Yamazaki approached and tried to pull Daidouji away but she just pushed him back and then slapped Sakura on the cheek. _

_Gasps were heard as Rika Sasaki and Chiharu Mihara emerged from the house._

"_What's happening? Why are you guys fighting?" Rika said as she approached Tomoyo and Sakura hurriedly while Chiharu stood from the distance._

"_I can't believe you! You... you entered my life acting like this righteous bitch. Saying things about being strong because we have each other." Tomoyo pushed Rika away too and grabbed Sakura's face with both of her hands not even minding when she inflicted scratches on her cousin's face. "You made me believe that everything would be okay..." She whispered harshly. Then she pushed Sakura so hard that the auburn haired girl dropped on the ground. "Go ahead and leave you ungrateful skank! Don't you dare come back because once you do... I'll make sure that your life would have been better off if you never showed up in the first place!"_

"_Daidouji..." Syaoran said in a cold voice. Everyone turned on him, his eyes dark as he stared at the said girl. "Stop acting like a brat. Stop being so spoiled. Being hysterical won't change the fact that Sakura needs to leave and that you need to stay here." He stepped down from the porch and went to pull Sakura back to her feet. "Going away doesn't always mean that she's leaving you behind. It doesn't always mean that way." His hands were on her face, caressing it softly and then it moved down to her shoulders then to her arms... finally gripping her hands. He took her right hand and placed it in his heart. He lowered his head to say the words that needed to be said so she'll know how he feels. "You have my heart wherever you go... wherever I am. Even if we're not together, you have to know that I love you and that I'm going to make sure that the only thing will change between us is your surname."_

_Yamazaki turned away from the scene as everyone heard what Li Syaoran said._

_And that's when they noticed Sakura's left hand. Her ring finger to be precise._

_He let go of her and turned towards Tomoyo, urging her to talk to her cousin properly. And nicely._

_Tomoyo's hands were fisted and her eyes were narrowed. _

_She approached Sakura._

"_Tomoyo... I'll come back. I promise I will. Before graduation. So please don't be mad."_

_And Tomoyo knew at that time that Sakura would keep her promise. Of all the things she's done to this girl just because she invaded their house, her social life... it felt so silly, so petite that she knew that it was a testament of her selfish self. This cousin of hers was important to her now no matter how many times she tried to get rid of her. It was like a feeling that she just knew she had yet she tried to resist it no matter what. But it was hopeless; it was a case that she lost a long time ago. And now, she knew that she was acting so badly because she was afraid to lose that familiar feeling of being her old self once again, of seeing those green eyes every day._

_She hiugged her._

"_I miss you already!" She sobbed. "You're such a bitch for doing this to me! I don't want you to leave! I need you to stay and keep me straight. I need you here to make me believe that I don't have to control everything just to feel safe... I can't believe this now if you're gone!" And she cried like a kid. She felt wretched and totally uncool, not caring at all but thinking about those things._

"_I'm sorry... I need to go..."_

_And they left._

Touya patted his sister's hair. It feels so bad that they needed to leave when everything was going fine after all those struggles.

Sakura disengaged herself and muttered a thanks to her brother. She turned around to take that needed walk around the neighbourhood when a car screeched beside them, almost hitting them by centimetres.

"Oi!" Touya shouted, pulling Sakura to his other side. "You could have killed us!" He said in perfect English.

The red sports car opened and long legs stepped out from it.

"Yoh!"

Sakura's mouth went slack upon seeing who was driving the vehicle.

"What the hell..." Touya muttered. He knew this girl.

She was wearing the same uniform that Sakura was going to attend to here in California.

This was beyond weird.

"I think we haven't been properly introduced." She approached Touya and took his hand for a firm shake. "I'm Li Meiling."


	20. Chapter 20

Touya didn't know how he ended up in this mess.

"Nice ass..." A blonde girl giggled followed by her other friends who passed by him and he just had to look on his behind to see what they were on about. He checked. His ass was fine, nothing was showing so he just sighed and shifted his weight on his back as he leaned on the wall beside the dressing room where his imouto and her Chinese brat of a friend were trying on some _more clothes. _As if the bags he were carrying weren't enough. He would never understand girls. He sighed helplessly thinking about how his otousan didn't actually fare well on that department either, excusing his cluelessness at times with his serene smile and pushing his spectacles up his nose. That gesture usually shut up his mother, the woman going _hanyaan _all over his dad.

The door to the dressing room on his right opened and Meiling Li stepped out wearing a dark blue mini dress. He tried not to gawk, it was damaging his reputation of being immune from girls. So he just stared at the mannequin not too far from him as if he never saw her in the first place.

"I look fat in this one, don't you think?"

Touya just grunted in response and he heard her gasp. What did he just agreed to? He couldn't remember and Touya regretted it immediately when he saw her accusing eyes glaring at him. What did she say? Drats. He should have listened instead of letting his mind wander off into somewhere else wherein Chinese brunettes don't have incredibly long legs.

And when he was about to apologize for whatever mistake he did, she laughed at him.

A nerve ticked on his head.

Incredible legs or not, this girl was too weird for his comfort. She should have just stayed as his little sister's nameless friend and not some girl who likes to prank him on a daily basis ever since they got here in California. It's been three weeks and it already feels like she's used up all his patience.

"Haha! Man! You should have seen your face!"

"Hn." He just narrowed his eyes at her and then stared determinedly at the mannequin once again. It wouldn't do if his eyes strayed on her legs again. Those high heels were doing too much for her and he didn't like it.

"Ne, Touya-sempai..." She leaned on the wall right next to him. "Is it wrong of me to wish that we could all stay here and forget all about Tomoyo and her gang of mean girls?" She looked up at him and smiled. "The reason why I'm here is because I wanted to be next to Sakura. She's the only friend I had when I was in Seijuu High and I know that that friendship is real. I know that you are aware of me being a Li considering that you're an Amamiya."

"I don't care if you're part of that egoistic clan." He murmured. "To me, you're just Meiling Li."

They stared at each other for a while, Touya thinking about that night wherein this girl stood up to his cousin. It was a scary sight as he realize just how much these high school girls would go for just for the sake of popularity. But knowing how his cousin got out of hand by bullying kids in their school made him realize that it was coming for her no matter how much his sister interfered and tried to save her.

"Eh? What's with you two?" Sakura said as she stood there, wearing black ankle boots and grey mini skirt, a sequined black top and leather jacket.

"Nothing." Meiling said as she pushed herself away from the wall and went over to Sakura saying how badass she looked. Touya just shook his head, not wanting to know why girls seem to be fixated with the word ass. "Your brother was just professing his love for me. He went on and on about he didn't care that I'm part of the Li clan and that he was from the Amamiyas. He said that he would be just like Romeo Montague and die for our love. Isn't that sweet? You're brother's awesome!"

"Hoe..."

"I didn't... You! Why... I...Hnnn." Touya just banged his head on the wall a little too hard but didn't stop Meiling from laughing at him again. She was just having too much fun teasing him. He'll have to forgive her for that. She did say he was awesome. Touya sulked and turned the other way, hoping his face wasn't that red. From anger ofcourse. Nothing else mind you.

When they arrived at the Kinomoto's house, Meiling and Sakura went straight to her room and made Touya dump their shopping bags in the living room first. Sakura wanted her mom to see what she purchased since she wanted to let her know that she was enjoying herself with their new lifestlyle and not enclosing herself in her room as she often accused her of. Besides, her mom was a model so she wasn't that foreign about fashion either, so it wouldn't hurt if she approved of the things her daughter bought. It's not like she would cringe at the prices since they could already afford it and more to be precise. Besides, her mom came from old money. It didn't matter. Her dad came from a well off family too but he was kind of more an idealist back then, thinking how he should start on his own instead of leeching off his father's bank account.

"Your room feels like it jumped out of a fairy tale picture book." Meiling grinned at her, taking off her oversized Dior sunglasses and walking away from the glass sliding doors that led to the terrace. "I like it. It screams Sakura Kinomoto all over."

"Yeah. It was my dream room after all."

"Was?"

"When I was like... six." They laughed at that and Meiling joined Sakura by the bed jumping on it unceremoniously. "Why did you leave Tomoeda?" Sakura said after a while. It was spoken in low tones and it followed a pregnant silence in which they both avoided each other's glance.

"I told you..." Meiling sat up and nudge Sakura's shoulder. "I was bored. It's fun teasing your oniichan."

"That's not all of it." Sakura said, laying her head on Meiling's shoulder. "You know... I'm sorry for taking Tomoyo's side back then. But you need to understand that she needed me. She was out of control then."

"I know." She gave a deep sigh and took her cellphone out. She opened her media gallery and scrolled through the pictures, stopping and clicking one in particular. She narrowed her eyes at it thinking how she would like to erase it. Not the picture alone. But the memory of it all together. "I was expelled from Seijuu."

"NANI?" Sakura jumped out of the bed and stared wide eyed at her friend. "Why?"

Meiling handed her iPhone to Sakura and told her to take a look.

Sakura's eyes dawned with understanding as she stared at the picture.

They looked at each other then, and Sakura understood who exactly is behind this.

"Chiharu-chan?" Sakura murmured, knowing already the answer to her question. "But why?"

Meiling stood up from the bed and retrieved her bag from the floor. "Why don't you look at the next picture. Sakura did as she was told and then shook her head in despair and frustration.

"Now why don't you ask your cousin... She's still the queen of Seijuu after all." Meiling said and exited the room. She saw Touya looking at her with eyes that said he heard everything.

"Do you like the feeling of running away?"

"No." She turned to head towards the stairs and then stopped when she touched the banister. "Ne Touya..."

He cringed at her words knowing that it was the preliminary words that she uttered before she goes on and drops the bomb on him.

She turned her head a little to look at him. "Will you still like me if I ended up being like Daidouji after all?"

Touya smiled at her fully and she lost her breath that single moment. It was wonderful.

"Now, who said that I even like you?" Touya chuckled and turned around to go to his room leaving Meiling smiling by the stairs knowing exactly his answer even if he wouldn't admit it.

Who said that she didn't deliberately let him stare at her legs anyway?

Inside the room, Sakura sat on her white antique but newly upholstered chair as she scrolled down the page of Seijuu's website from her iMac. She clicked the latest link and it directed her to the newest article written by Naoko Yanagisawa. The pictures were there as well along with the others that she wasn't able to see from Meiling's cellphone.

**LI COUSINS EXPELLED FROM SEIJUU HIGH**

Li cousins? Then that meant it wasn't just Meiling who got cut out from Seijuu? Why was he included?

Sakura scrolled back to the pictures, seeing the first one with Tomoyo surrounded by unrecognizable students from Seijuu. It was the picture during Meiling's birthday. The next one was that of Meiling holding a glass over Tomoyo's head as the contents poured down on her hair. Then, the next one was that of Tomoyo standing in front of Li Syaoran as he asked her then to leave the place.

She knew that it was Chiharu Mihara who did this. She was the only one who was holding Tomoyo's camera that night. And of course they just had to manipulate everything in order to make it look like that Meiling was the source of all the bullying in the school. If the pictures weren't proof enough, then Naoko's article was another proof.

_Li Syaoran, the heir of the infamous and prestigious Li Clan of Hong Kong, along with his cousin Li Meiling were asked to leave Seijuu High due to the case of teenage harassment. As the pictures above would speak a thousand words more than this article could ever dare to impart, it is with disappointment that the population of Seijuu would be saying farewell to two of its most promising students. Li Syaoran, as we all know is the student council's president, the captain of the prided soccer varsity team, four-year debate champion, math-lete medallist... and so many more accomplishments that we could name of. When asked to defend his side, he remained silent and only parted with the words, "I wish to take no part in this game constructed by high school girls who clawed their way onto the top. I have no reason to stay here. She's no longer here." Everybody was startled at this statement but it wasn't much of a surprise as we all know who this girl is..._

Sakura stopped reading them. So many miles from Tomoeda and they still manage to include her in all this mess. She scanned the rest of the article and had to swallow a lump in her throat as it all summed into one conclusion. They blamed Syaoran for everything. No one stood up for him. She stood up and entered her terrace, then went down the stairs connected to it that lead to the beach. The wind whipped her hair as she tried to think on what to do. But the only thing she could think of is Syaoran. She touched the ring that he gave her and steeled herself, thinking that all in due time would be taken care of.

Across the sea, from a harbour in Hong Kong, Li Syaoran stood and stared at the ocean in front of him. Then, he turned around to enter the car as his bodyguards stationed themselves to get ready for departure. He was going to need a lot of strength once he reached the Li Mansion. He was not only going to face the Li Elders. He was going to face his mother and petition for a Japanese fiancée.

He had to laugh at how absurd the situation was. He was only a teenager after all.

A teenager but still a prince.


	21. Chapter 21

"How am I supposed to top that?" Takashi grumbled as Tomoyo pressed the remote again and the picture that was being projected here in their home theatre was changed into a more recent one.

"Stop whining. It's very unattractive." Tomoyo threw a handful of popcorn at Takashi but he just opened his mouth to catch most of it and she just had to laugh at his silliness. They were viewing the news articles from Hong Kong but mostly just cut out pictures of Li Syaoran by the official press and the paparazzi there.

"He's a freaking royal prince and I'm just a lowly high school jock. Of course she's going to choose him! Besides she already said no."

"She did not!" Tomoyo shouted and stood up in front of him kicking his foot in the process just to jerk him off balance. "She said _I'm sorry_. That is not a no."

"Yes it is! Did you see the ring on her finger? That practically screamed a big no to me!" He pushed the button on his seat so it would recline and brought his arms over his head wanting to take a nap and a break from his best friend's diabolical plans. "Besides _hime_, just because you got your prince on a blue mini cooper doesn't mean that I would get mine too." There was a moment of silence until Tomoyo asked him if he had a thing for Eriol and that she could totally ask him if has any male cousins.

"You're dead." Takashi laughed and thus started the chasing and running and throwing of things.

California was turning out to be a good place for Sakura Kinomoto despite of the language barrier and her newbie status in a private school that seemed to resemble Seijuu in more ways than she could count. The students and how they acted reminded her so much of Tomoeda that it amused her thinking about that no matter where she would deign to go, rich bastards and stuck up bitches would never run out of stock. This was high school after all.

"I can't believe that blondie over there just asked me if you looked hot naked." I made gagging noises as I sat down beside Touya who was writing on his diary, I mean _journal_, again. "I mean, you're my oniichan and I've never thought of you that way _ever_ and this total stranger bringing it up makes me want to puke. The horror!" I tried taking a peek at whatever he was writing but he just closed his journal and flicked my forehead. "Ow!" So I did what any mature teenager would do. I stole his fries and pepsi then bolted as fast as I could go. Hey, I did say teenager. Mature? Hello... hormones?

"Hey Japan!" I was about to turn a corner when I stopped walking and popped another fry into my mouth. It was Jessica Smith, the miss popular of the school only minus the bitchiness. She was totally oblivious to her charisma and that was what made her so loveable to me because she was popular, a bit mean sometimes, real pretty and really smart but still nice. I go _hanyaan _whenever I see her.

"H-hey." See.

"So, have you decided whether to join the club or what?" Oh. The club.

"I'm not sure..."

Jessica tucked her blonde wavy hair behind her ear and laughed giving me a pat on the shoulder saying that it was okay and that she'll ask me again tomorrow and see if I changed my mind or lack of decision anyways. See? Nice. Why can't all queen bee's be that way, you know? Minus the sting-y thing.

"Wow." Meiling took my pepsi and popped a couple of fries on her mouth. "Don't be stingy. This isn't yours anyway."

"Still..." I took the pepsi back and gulped it all without pausing. Mature. Sigh.

"So Serena Van der Woodsen over there was recruiting you? I'm impressed. You've got this _in crowd_ thing pegged. You're a natural."

"Huh? Who's Serena?" She shook her head while I tried to explain to her that I knew no one that was named Serena except for the cat that Princess Annabell owned in Barbie in the Princess and the Pauper. She gave me an exasperated look in which I caved and told her about the archery club that Jessica was heading and that I was invited for a try out. I mean, who gets invited for a try out? Don't you usually sign up for that? Clubs that were invitation only spelled trouble to me and I didn't want to get involve in that kind of drama again. I am officially retired.

"Retired? Who goes on retirement from being popular?"

"I dunno... Mariah Carey?"

Meiling threw me a nasty look saying that she likes Mariah Carey thank you very much.

"Neh... do you ever think of going back?" Meiling said while we got inside her shiny new and very red sports car. Gah. I hate rich kids. And now I'm a hypocrite too because I have a shiny black car in our garage waiting to be driven until I get my license.

"Yes. All the time. Why?" I inhaled sharply before I said this, having mental images of everything and everybody at Tomoeda.

"Heian Academy has an opening you know." I took another sharp breath at this, my heart hammering madly knowing what she was implying.

Eriol bowed to the elders and was dismissed so he headed straight to where Syaoran was. Just as his guess, the said boy was in the library reading an old manuscript that probably dated way back into who knows when. He closed the doors loudly and sat next to Syaoran clearing his throat several times.

"What?"

"Meiling's with her."

"I know."

Eriold stood up again and started phasing back and forth in front of his cousin. Well... distant cousin for that matter. He wasn't that weird to be that genetically linked to the Li's who tended to marry their offsprings into a relative. He shivered once he remembered that Syaoran and Meiling were once upon a time engaged. He could almost imagine the little devils they would produce if ever they did marry.

"Stop thinking about it. That's disgusting." Syaoran murmured then turned another page of the book. Eriol stopped grimacing staring incredulously at Syaoran and his skills at mind reading. "I can read your face dumbass."

"Really now, when you do talk nothing comes out of your mouth but mean things." Eriol took the book he was reading and gestured for him to take a walk with him. He felt too agitated to even sit still and Syaoran was the picture of stillness and he hated it. "They hate the idea." Eriol said as he ran his fingers through his hair. This was absurd. They were freaking teenagers, not even with a high school diploma yet, not that it mattered to Eriol and they were freaking rich after all plust the nobility status, but still... marriage? "Actually, I think you've gone mad. Are you mad?" Eriol sputtered the last sentence for emphasis. He rarely loses his composure but Syaoran just asked the cousin of his girlfriend to marry him not to add the fact that the Li's has had a standing disagreement, putting it lightly, with the Amamiya's. It's like Romeo and Juliet that it's not even funny. "You're freaking mental!"

"Are you having a stroke?"

"What? Is my face drooping? Oh god! My face!"

"Stop spaszing Hiiragizawa!" A low pitched voice that was feminine said from the other end of the corridor and both boys turned towards it. There stood Li Shiefa, the eldest daughter of the first family of the Li clan. "Syaoran, even though this cousin of ours is spaszing..."

"Am not!"

"...he does have a point. In his words as I shall use it, are you mad? Xiao Lang, you must never forget that our grandfather is still alive and holds grudges very close to his heart." She raised her perfectly plucked eyebrow at him and he just sighed and kissed his sister's cheek and left them standing there without an answer. He needed time to think of a flawless plan and that required no spaszing blue haired freaks and inquisitive shopping obsessed sisters.

Royalty had been dissolved in this country a long time ago and yet his family still possesses the power to wield it like a very sharp sword and use it against anything. If the monarchy still existed, he would have been the crowned prince and it would have been another blockage into claiming his freedom. All the fuss for a title that was dissolved a hundred years ago.

"Xiao Lang..." He smiled when he saw his sister Feimei coming towards him. She gave him a hug and then pulled his cheeks saying how handsome he was and that he seemed to have grown taller yet again. "Are you crazy?" She said with a smile, her hands holding onto his arm gently. Her soft and gentle voice almost lulled him into telling her his motive but he caught himself just in time. His sisters were dangerous creatures and Sakura would do well to be out of their hands even for a little time he could manage that he could spare for her.

"I think I am crazy. But it wasn't my fault you know, it was Eriol's idea. Please forgive me."

"Yes, yes...huh? What do you mean Eriol's fault?" They stopped walking and Feimei's smile had a hint of ticking nervousness in it.

"Yeah, what do you mean Eriol's fault Xiao Lang?" Fanren and Fuutie came together with their shopping bags in hand, huge smiles on their faces.

"Oh... you don't know yet? He was the one who set up the online shop for your clothes." They gasped at that and Feimei's grip on his arm just tightened a little bit.

Fanren gave a nervous laugh and looked at Fuutie who had huge eyes and was staring open mouthed at him. "Clothes?" She whispered.

"And shoes. And bags... and..." He didn't have to continue saying anything as his sisters dropped their shopping bags and dashed towards an unsuspecting Eriol.

Hmm... maybe Tomoyo was a bit right. Revenge is sweet.


End file.
